Cylinder lock

Abstract

 A cylinder lock (1) for use in a locking arrangement which comprises a barrel having a through passage (3), two locks (7) provided one at each end of the through passage (3) and a cam member (6) located between the locks (7) wherein the two locks are interconnected by a solid single bar member (12) and two sleeve members (13,14) located about respective ends of the bar member which are activated by the lock to operate the cam member (6) in the normal manner.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a cylinder lock and double cylinder lock arrangements in particular.

[0002] Multi lock locking arrangements have been used for a number of years on double-glazing window and door units. Traditionally the cylinder lock comprises an elongate barrel having keyhole shaped cross sectional profile with a bulbous section and an outwardly extending section. Locks are fitted at either end of a through passage in the bulbous section with locking pins located in bores provided in the outward extending section. The locks are interconnected by a clutch arrangement located there between in the through passage. The clutch comprising engaged components that activate a cam member that operates the other components of, for example, a multi point locking system. The provision of the clutch in the arrangement allows respective rotational movement of the operating components of the two locks so that the lock can be operated. However the arrangement also allows lateral movement of the two locks in the through passage.

[0003] This type of locking arrangement has been used for years and has provided good security to the home. However in order to allow for easy and secure mounting of the cylinder lock a mounting hole is provided in the centre of the outward section of the barrel and this has been found to provide a distinct weakness to the arrangement which enables the lock barrel to be broken about the hole when a suitable lateral force is applied by for example a screw driver in the keyhole in the lock as would be used by someone trying to gain illegal entry to the property. If the barrel is broken the lock fails to an open position allowing entry to the property.

[0004] The present invention is concerned with providing a cylinder lock having improved strength and resilience to the application of a lateral force for example by someone trying to break the cylinder barrel and thereby provides a more secure and safer locking arrangement.

[0005] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a cylinder lock for use in a locking arrangement which comprises a barrel having a through passage, two locks provided one at each end of the through passage and a cam member located between the locks wherein the two locks are interconnected by a solid single bar member and two sleeve members located about respective ends of the bar member which are activated by the lock to operate the cam member in the normal manner.

[0006] Consequently, the cylinder lock of the present invention is operationally the same as current cylinder locks. The provision of the sleeve members enables the lock to be easily operated as with a conventional design. The advantage of the lock is in the provision of the bar member which whilst not fixed to the locks or the operational components of the lock is securely mounted with respect thereto. This prevents lateral movement of the two locks in the through passage and so provides a further resistance to any attempt to break the lock barrel in the way described above.

[0007] In one arrangement of the present invention the bar member when the lock is assembled is located with each end in a recess provided in the respective lock so that the lock surrounds the end of the bar member to locate it securely and minimize lateral movement In a further arrangement the bar member and the recess may be provided with means to securely located them with respect to each other, for example, the end of the bar member and the inside surface of the recess may be provided with grooves with inter engage to more securely hold the bar member in place.

[0008] It should be noted and as would be well appreciated by a person skilled in the art it is an important feature of the invention that the fit of the bar member is a relative secure fit in the recess and in the best case scenario is an interference or tolerance fit.

[0009] The bar member may be made from any suitable material, for example, steel, stainless steel, high tensile steel, titanium or other material with resists lateral bending.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention the barrel is also provided with an external fitting collar.

[0011] The present invention is intended for use with conventional door locking arrangements and consequently has been designed with a view that it can be used with current systems without the need for any redesign. The components can be sized to fit within the standard cylinder lock specification.

[0012] The above invention may be used as one of several security features included in a locking arrangement to provide added home security, for example the invention described and claimed in GB 0710341.9 of the same applicant the disclosures of which arc incorporated herein by way of reference.

[0013] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a view of a cylinder lock made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a exploded view of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the cylinder lock of Figure 1.

[0014] Referring to the drawings there is shown a cylinder lock 1 made in accordance with the present invention. The cylinder lock 1 comprises a barrel having a bulbous upper section 2 with a through passage 3 running along the length thereof and an outwardly extending section 4. A cut away 5 through the bulbous section 2 and into the outward extending section 4 is provided and located therein is a cam member 6.

[0015] Located one in each end of the through passage 3 are two locks 7 having a locking barrel 8 and a number of locking pins (not shown) which extend downwardly into the outward section 4 into bores (not shown). The operation of the locks is as with any conventional lock of this general type and further explanation is not needed and will not be given.

[0016] The locking barrel is provided with a keyhole 9 at its outward facing end and a recess 10 at its inward facing end. The inward end of each barrel 8 is also provided with two diametrically opposed slots 16 and a key passage 11 connects the inward and outward facing ends of each barrel

[0017] Located in and extending between the recesses 10 of the two locks 7 is a bar member 12- Located around the bar member 12 at each of its ends is a respective sleeve member 13 and a collar 14. Each of the collars 14 includes two diametrically opposed lugs 15 which when the lock 7 is assembled, for the respective arrangements locate for a part of their length in the slots 16 in the barrels 8.

[0018] The cam member 6 comprises a bulbous circular section 17 having a through bore 18 that on the inward facing surface 19 has an abutment 20 that circumferentially surrounds said surface apart from two gaps 21, and an outward projecting tongue 22.

[0019] A mounting hole 23 is also provided in the outward section 4 of the cylinder lock body at a position below the cut away 5.

[0020] When assembled the locks 7 are located in the through passage 3 of the cylinder lock body, one at each end. The bar member 12, sleeve members 13 and collars 14 are located in the through passage 3 between said locks 7 and further located in the recesses 10 of the locks 7, so that the two collar member 14 abut each other. The lugs 15 on the collars 14 are in alignment with each other and engage in the slots 16 in the barrels 8 of the locks 7.

[0021] The cam member 6 is located in the cut away 5 with the bar member 12 and collars 14 extending through the through bore 18. The gaps 21 in the abutment 20 of the cam member 6 are in general alignment with the lugs 15 of the barrel 8. As will be well appreciated by those skilled in the industry in effect the arrangement for the operation of the cylinder lock is very solid in comparison to the current arrangements. This at least reduces, if not eliminates, any tendency to bend or move laterally that is present with the current arrangements and provides the new arrangement with additional strength to resist any bending moment that may be applied in attempting to force the lock. Clearly the tightness of the fit is also important and it is important that the components are fitted to close tolerances, and also the choice of materials. A high tensile steel will provide greater rigidity and resistance than would brass or gun metal. The choice of materials would be affected by the application and costs involved.

[0022] The operation of the cylinder lock is similar to current locks. A key is inserted through the keyhole 9 that extends along the key passage 11. With the standard arrangement the length of the key is such that the end of the key abuts the respective sleeve member 13 forcing the sleeve member 13 and associated collar 14 along the bar member 12. The degree of movement is not great but is sufficient to cause the lugs 15 on the respective collar member 14 to engage the gaps 21 in the camber 6 and disengage the lugs 15 of the other collar member from the gaps 21 of the cam member 6. Further the lower surface of the key, assuming it is the correct key, depresses the locking pins of the lock such that the barrel is not prevented from movement.

[0023] As the key is now further rotated the barrel 8 of the lock 7 rotates causing the respective collar member 14 to rotate and via the lugs 15 the cam member 6 to rotate. The tongue 22 engages the mechanical operators of the locking arrangement and the lock is operated as with the current systems.

[0024] The above example of the present invention shows a locking arrangement where the locking system includes two key operated locks, one at each end of a common passage. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a thumb operated locking means or other suitable type of operating means may be used instead of one or both of the locks dependent on the locking means and the circumstance surrounding the use of the locking means.

[0025] Further the has been described above with reference to a Euro-Profile cylinder lock but the invention is not limited to use with those profile of locks and can be used with cylinder lock of any profile.

Claims

1. A cylinder lock for use in a locking arrangement which comprises a barrel having a through passage, two locks provided one at each end of the through passage and a cam member located between the locks wherein the two locks are interconnected by a solid single bar member and two sleeve members located about respective ends of the bar member which are activated by the lock to operate the cam member.

2. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bar member when the lock is assembled is located with each end in a recess provided in the respective lock so that the lock surrounds the end of the bar member to locate it securely.

3. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bar member and the recess is provided with means to securely located them with respect to each other.

4. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 3, wherein the end of the bar member and the inside surface of the recess are provided with grooves which inter engage.

5. A cylinder lock as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bar member is made from one or more of steel, stainless steel, high tensile steel, and titanium.

Drawing