The present invention relates to a connecting device at a turning axle arranged on a locking unit surrounded by a protective sleeve. The turning axle transmits a torsional force from a rotary function to a locking function with a locking element, e.g. a lock cylinder, in order to lock or unlock the locking unit from the outside. From the rotary function the turning axle passes through the sleeve and the centre of a circular disc unit whose periphery is connected to the inside of an annular envelope surface, the outside of which exhibits tooth functions designed to be retained or released by a locking element. The other lateral surface of the disc unit faces away from the sleeve and exhibits at least one projecting elevation. A connecting element is coupled to the first end of the turning axle at the centre of the disc unit, which angled up by the elevation during the rotation when the tooth formations are retained by the locking element whilst the connecting element engages in a gripping element connected to the other end of a second turning axle which, as the rotation continues, locks or unlocks the locking function.

In designs of the type in question available on the market a through axle is often used as a locking function to lock a locking unit. The locking function is locked by means of a rotary function with a key, a handle or a knob via a lock cylinder. The lock may also be electronically locked by means of a code, which activates a solenoid to lock the turning axle to prevent it from being rotated. When the locking unit, e.g. a door, is locked, a person can sabotage the lock by rotating the rotary function and twisting off the lock cy Under or locking function with a tool such as a torque wrench. If the rotary function is attacked by blows from the outside, this action is propagated via the turning axle to the locking function, which is then also destroyed. Document GB 2189860 A discloses a rotary function whose turning axle can be disconnected by means of a solenoid so that the rotary function does not affect the locking function. This design is complicated and is composed of many parts where a movement in the rotary function radially actuates a mechanism and which then in turn actuates a plate so that it is linked to another plate axially, but only if a solenoid has moved onto a part lying flush against one of the plates. This design requires a large axial distance. The design is easy to sabotage by mechanically attacking the rotary function, which then ceases to operate. Moreover, mis design cannot be mounted on the outside of existing locking units because the connecting device must be arranged inside the locking unit and is therefore only suited for limited application. The object of this invention is to solve the problems that exist in known designs by arranging the connecting device within a limited axial space surrounded by a protective sleeve designed for mounting on a number of different locking units. The connecting device occupies little space and comprises a small number of built-in disc-shaped parts placed one on top of the other, supported against the inside of the outer sleeve wall axially surrounded by an envelope surface with tooth formations, which are locked by a locking element axially from a solenoid electronically controlled from the outside without using a lock cylinder, wherein a connecting element transmits the torsional force to a second turning axle to lock or unlock the locking function.

Thanks to the invention a simple, low cost, efficiently operating and easily assembled connecting device has been provided, which occupies little space inside a surrounding sleeve and has few built-in parts, which link together two turning axles in order to transmit a torsional force from a rotary function, such as a knob or handle, to a locking function, having a locking element, e.g. a lock cylinder, for locking or unlocking from the outside a locking unit such as a door, a gate, a window etc. for locking around a space or an enclosure. A turning axle passes through the outer sleeve wall and through a hole into the centre of a circular disc unit, which moves radially and freely around the turning axle. The circular disc unit is arranged against the inside of the outer wall so that it is flatly rotatable. The periphery of the circular disc unit is connected to the inside of this annular envelope surface, the outside of which has tooth formations, which point radially outwards from the outside of the envelope surface. The locking element of a solenoid either locks the tooth formations or moves freely from them, controlled from the outside by an electronic manual unit which activates the connecting device with a preselected locking code, the locking element passing in between the tooth formations to that it cannot rotate around the turning axle. The other lateral surface of the circular disc unit has at least one projecting elevation in a direction facing away from the inside. The turning axle terminates at a first end on the other lateral surface after it has passed through the hole. A connecting element is resiliently connected at one of its ends to the first end of the turning axle, where it has passed a short distance through the other lateral surface. The connecting element then continues radially to lie flush with the other lateral surface when the locking element moves freely from the tooth formations and is angled up by the elevation, which is arranged underneath the connecting element from the other lateral surface since the tooth formations are retained by the locking element during continued rotation. The connecting element then engages in a radially directed gripping element, which is connected to a second end of a second turning axle, extending in the extension of the turning axle projecting from the locking unit, wherein the rotary function transmits torsional force to the second turning axle to rotate around it in one direction for locking, and in the other direction for unlocking the locking function. Connecting elements then spring back from one of the elevations and the gripping element when the locking element has been released from the tooth formations by a resilient steel spring arranged on the first end of the turning axle. The connecting device itself transmits the torsional force within a small limited axial space and is therefore positioned at the circular disc unit inside the envelope surface, which has an axial length of less than 20 mm. The diameter of the circular disc unit is approximately 2 - 5 cm. Satisfactory operation and a simple method of assembling the parts comprising the connecting device, which also requires little axial space, are achieved and the connecting element is connected and placed directly on the connecting plate, which is in turn placed on the circular unit which rests against the inside of the outer sleeve wall. The connecting plate and the connecting element are made of flat, punched pieces of metal plate a few mm thick and linked together with joints. In this case the connecting plate is largely rectangular, having an I-shaped hole at its centre, which encloses the turning axle, which is also I-shaped for transmitting the driving force to the connecting plate. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the inside of the envelope surface encloses a fiction surface which is fixedly arranged on the periphery and which constitutes part of the periphery following the outside of the elevation, which faces radially towards the inside. The other lateral surface then continues between the elevations as a flat part, where the connecting element has its lowest position before it is angled up, resting against the other side of the circular disc unit between the elevations, before the rotation for linking to the gripping element. An elevation then begins with an angled oblique surface along the periphery from the flat part, then flattens out at the top of the elevation as a flat surface, which in turn terminates with a stop surface extending across the other lateral surface against which the connecting element firmly locks, the circular disc unit continuing to rotate when the envelope surface is locked by the locking element. This has the effect of supporting the connecting element from underneath when it engages in the gripping element and continues in this position as long as the rotary function is rotated in this position until locking/unlocking is completed. The invention is described in more detail below with help of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings enclosed, in which

Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through the connecting device when the locking element is inserted in the tooth formations during rotation,

Fig. 2 shows a vertical detail section through a part of the connecting device when the tooth formations move freely from the locking element, and

Fig. 3 shows a translucent view directly towards the connecting device, viewed towards the inside of the outer sleeve wall.

Figs. 1-3 show a connecting device 1 arranged at a turning axle 3 for transmitting a torsional force from a rotary function 2, e.g. a knob, to a locking function, for locking or unlocking a locking unit 4, e.g. a door, around a space or an enclosure 5. The connecting device 1 is arranged on the outside of the locking unit 4 and is enclosed by a sleeve 6. The turning axle 3 passes from the outside through an outer wall 7 of the sleeve 6 and in through a hole 8 in the centre of a circular disc unit 9, which centre passes freely around the turning axle 3. One lateral surface 10 of the circular disc unit 9 is guided up towards the inside 11 of the outer wall 7 and slides against a plastic disc 44 arranged against the inside 11 to reduce the friction between one of the lateral surfaces 10 and the inside 11, and to niinimise wearing of one of the lateral surfaces 10. The plastic disc 44 is made of a material with low friction, e.g. nylon, so that one of the lateral surfaces slides easily against the disc during rotation. The circular disc unit 9 has a periphery 12, which is connected to the inside 14 of an annular envelope surface 13, the outside 15 of which has tooth formations 16 pointing radially outwards from it in order to be retained or released by a locking element 17, which is guided by a solenoid, which is activated electronically from the outside to move in and from the tooth formations 16. The other lateral surface 18 of the disc unit 9 has elevations 20 projecting in a direction 19 away from the inside 11. The turning axle 3 terminates axially a short distance after passing through the hole 8 at a first end 22, where it is connected to two connecting elements 24 so that it is in resilient contact with the other lateral surface 18 between the elevations 20 when the locking element 17 moves freely from the tooth formations 16. Since the tooth formations 16 are retained by the locking element 17 during the rotation of the turning axle 3, the connecting elements are angled up towards the elevations 20 in direction 19 to engage in a radially directed gripping element 26, which is connected at a second end 27 of a second turning axle 38 extending in the extension of the turning axle 3 so that is able to rotate the second turning axle 38 in one direction for locking and hi the other direction for unlocking the locking function.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the elevation 20 has a stop surface 25. Since the rotation of the turning axle 3 continues when the locking element 17 has been locked against the tooth formations 1, and when the rotary connecting element 24 has been angled up in the direction 19, it stops against the stop surface 25, which extends in the direction 19. The stop surface 25 then follows the rotation when the torsional force exceeds a friction established between the inside 14 of the envelope surface 13 and the circular disk unit 9 at the periphery 12 and the elevations 20, since the circular disc unit 9 and the envelope surface 13 are two different parts interconnected by friction. The inside 14 of the envelope surface 13 then encloses at least one friction surface 28, which is arranged on the outside 29 of the elevation 20, which follows the periphery 12, which is radially directed towards the inside 14. There is then friction between the inside 14 and the friction surface 28. The friction surface 28 is designed as a box-shaped loose part 41, which is resiliently fitted into a hole 37 in the outside 29, arranged to spring out from it at that point. The friction surface 28 then presses out towards the inside 14 with resilient elements 40, which are arranged behind the loose part 41. The other lateral surface 18 continues between two elevations 20 as a flat part 36, where the connecting element 24 has its lowest position before rotation. The elevation 20 then commences with an angled oblique surface 30 along the periphery 12, which flattens out at the top of the elevation 20 as a flat surface 31, which is parallel with the other lateral surface 18 and which in turn terminates with the stop surface 25 and which extends across the other lateral surface 18, with continued rotation of the circular disc unit 9 when the envelope surface 13 is locked by the locking element 17. Two connecting elements 24 are connected to a connecting plate 21 and are made of flat pieces of metal plate. The connecting plate 21 is somewhat rectangular and has an I-shaped hole 32 in its centre, which encloses the turning axle 3, which is also I-shaped, to transmit the driving force to the connecting plate 21, which is hi flat contact with the other lateral surface 18 of the circular disc unit 9, which surface, hi the middle of its two opposing short sides, has its edge area 33, which exhibits two first upward folds 34 facing each other and constituting two parts of two joints 23 on each short side, formed by a piece of the edge area 33. These first upward folds 34 are connected to two corresponding parts of the joints 23, which also constitute the first upward folds 34 at the connecting elements 24, formed in two semicircular segments, on their straight side to which the torsional force is transmitted. The semicircular segments, together with the joints 23 and the connecting plate 21, form a torsion resistant transmission structure, which is not deformed by the torsional force. The other ends of connecting elements 24 each have their protrusion 43, which also exhibits a second upward fold 46 constituting a stop plate 45 for stopping against the stop surface 25 in the centre of the periphery of the semicircular segment. Close to it, along this periphery, there is a third upward fold 47 in the form of a hook function 42 designed to hook up to the gripping element 26 and transmit the torsional force to this. Two opposing reverse resilient stop surfaces 25, flat surfaces 31 and oblique surfaces 30 with an intermediate flat part are arranged on the periphery 12 on the other lateral surface 18 wherein, during locking of the locking function, the turning axle 3 is rotated in one direction towards one of the stop surfaces 25, and during unlocking the turning axle 3 is rotated in the other direction towards the other stop surface 25. The first end 22 has a steel spring 35, which springs back against the connecting elements 24, which press against this in the direction of the other lateral surface 18 and at the same time press the connecting plate 21 and the circular disc unit 9 towards the inside 11 with a resilient spring pressure. The hook function 42 can touch the gripping element 26 at random when the locking element 17 has just locked the tooth formations 16 firmly. The gripping element 26 is a plat piece of plate extending radially outwards from the other end 27, one side of which faces the hook function 42, which can then be reached without taking hold of the gripping element 26 in a position where the hook function 42 is located on the top of the flat surface 31. The gripping element 26 is resiliently and radially connected to the other end 27, which then springs back from the hook function 42, which then engages instead in the gripping element 26 as it continues to rotate during the next revolution. The stop surface 25 springs back in one direction of rotation. The rotation of the connecting element 24 is then stopped gently against the stop surface 25 to prevent it from flipping over the stop if the rotation takes place too quickly and stick there. During the rotation the stop surface is displaced along the extension of the flat surface 31 until it stops in a stop position 39 and continues to rotate the circular disc unit 9. After the rotation, when the locking element 17 again moves freely from the tooth formations 16, the stop surface 25 pushes back the stop plate 45, which then slides down along the oblique surface 3 to the flat part 36. The rotary function 2 then gains speed and the other turning axle 38 moves freely and is therefore unable to unlock the locking function.