DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a lock to be applied to a wall of a door leaf, comprising a box-like body, inside which there are extractably housed a latch and/or a bolt actuatable by a special actuating means commanded by a cam of a cylinder of the lock.

As is well known, for each model of lock to be applied there are variants supplied in the market, distinguished by left- or right-hand opening and by the entry, defined as the centre-to-centre distance between the cylinder and the lateral wall of the box-like body from which the latch and/or the bolt comes out.

In particular, the lock is supplied in the market with various standard values of entry.

For each model of lock to be applied, therefore, a plurality of variants is provided, which obviously causes a considerable complication of the logistics tied to the supply, transport, and storage of the parts.

In order to overcome this drawback, locks to be applied with a high flexibility of use have been proposed, which provide for the possibility of adjusting the handing and the entry.

The known locks to be applied with a high flexibility of use comprise a fixing plate for the cylinder constrained between the box-like body containing the actuating means of the lock and a special counterplate fixable to the door leaf. The fixing plate is fixed to the counterplate in a position linearly adjustable in the direction of extraction of the latch, and has two slots that extend longitudinally direction of extraction of the latch. Depending on the handing of the lock, the cylinder is selectively engaged in one of the two slots.

However, these locks to be applied with a high flexibility of use are characterized by a complex construction with a large number of components to be assembled, which has negative repercussions on the final cost of the product.

Moreover, the compactness of the lock is penalized by the presence of both the fixing plate of the cylinder and the counterplate, whose thicknesses are often added to the depthwise dimension of the box-like body.

The technical task of the present invention is thus to provide a lock to be applied with a high flexibility of use that enables the aforementioned technical drawbacks of the prior art to be overcome.

Within the scope of this technical task, one object of the invention is to provide a lock to be applied capable of adapting the handing and the entry according to the specific application.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock to be applied capable of adapting the handing and entry, despite having a simplified construction and consequently a reduced cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock to be applied which is capable of adapting the handing and the entry, but is also compact and easy to assemble and install on the door leaf.

The technical task, as well as these and other objects, according to the present invention, are achieved by providing a lock to be applied to a wall of a door leaf, comprising a box-like body having a rear wall applicable to said wall of said door leaf, a latch and/or a bolt positioned in the box-like body and extractable from a lateral wall of the box-like body, actuating means of said latch and/or bolt positioned in said box-like body, and a cylinder having a cam for commanding said actuating means, characterized in that it comprises a plate for fixing the cylinder engaged on the outer side of said rear wall of the box-like body and supporting the cylinder outside said box-like body, said fixing plate and said rear wall of the boxlike body having a means for adjusting the position of reciprocal engagement cooperating for the adjustment of the entry of the lock and/or handing of the lock. The lock to be applied can be of the electric, electromechanical or mechanical type, and comprise, for example, only a latch, or only a bolt, or a latch and a bolt together, or also a reloading piston extractable from the box-like body on the command of the cylinder.

The simplicity of construction of the lock depends on the fact that the adjustment means is fashioned directly on the fixing plate of the cylinder and on the rear wall of the box-like body. In this manner, the adjustment is made possible without providing additional components.

Only the thickness of the fixing plate of the cylinder is interposed directly between the door leaf and the rear wall of the box-like body and the lock consequently maintains an extremely compact construction.

Installation of the lock on the door leaf is extremely easy, given that the fixing plate of the cylinder can remain in position if necessary even by simple interference between the wall of the door leaf and the rear wall of the box-like body. However, it is preferably envisaged that the adjustment means is configured also to fix the support plate to the box-like body.

Other characteristics of the present invention are also defined in the claims hereinbelow.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the lock to be applied according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the appended drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the lock to be applied according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

figure 2 shows an assembled perspective view of the lock to be applied of figure 1 ; figures 3a and 3b show a rear view of the lock to be applied of figure 1, configured for right-hand opening with a different entry;

figures 4a and 4b show a rear view of the lock to be applied of figure 1, configured for left-hand opening with a different entry;

figure 5 shows a partial cutaway side elevation view of the lock to be applied of figure 1;

figure 6 shows a side elevation view of the fixing plate of the lock to be applied of figure 1;

figure 7 shows a rear view of the box-like body of the lock to be applied of figure

1 ;

figure 8 shows an element of the actuating means of the lock to be applied of figure 1; figure 9 shows a rear view of a lock to be applied according to the invention in a variant of the fixing plate in which no slot is provided for guiding the rotation of the fixing plate; and

figure 10 shows a partial cutaway side elevation view of a lock to be applied according to the invention in a variant of the box-like body wherein the rear wall of the box-like body has a removable portion acting as a cover to which the fixing plate is applied.

With reference to the aforesaid figures, they show a lock to be applied to a wall of a door leaf, denoted in its entirety with the reference number 1.

Below we shall make reference, by way of example, to an electric lock, but as noted previously, the scope of application of the invention also extends to mechanical or electromechanical locks to be applied.

The lock 1 comprises a cylinder 2 having a stator 2a in which there is housed a rotor 2b provided with a slot 2c for introducing a key.

Fixed to the rotor 2b there is a cam 3 for commanding a means 4 for actuating a latch 5.

The actuating means 4 is positioned inside a substantially parallelepiped-shaped box-like body 6 of the lock 1 comprising a front wall 7, a rear wall 8 fixable flat to the door leaf, a first lateral wall 9 from which the latch 5 is extractable, a second lateral wall 10, an upper wall 11 and a lower wall 12.

The box-like body 6 has a primary midplane 14 perpendicular to the lateral walls 9,

10 and a secondary primary midplane 15 parallel to the lateral walls 9, 10.

The cylinder 2 is fixed in a cantilevered fashion to a side of a flat fixing plate 13, its other side being engaged flat against the outer side of the rear wall 8 of the boxlike body 6.

Specifically, the fixing plate 13 is placed in a depressed portion 8' of the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6.

The depth of this depressed portion 8' is equal to the thickness of the fixing plate 13.

The depressed portion 8' can be fashioned as a single piece with the remaining rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 (as illustrated in the version of the box-like body 6 in Figure 5).

Alternatively, the depressed portion 8' can be fashioned as a separate piece fixed to the remaining rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 (as illustrated in the version of the box-like body 6 in Figure 10) and in this case, it also acts as a removable cover. The fixing plate 13 has, in turn, a primary middle plane 16 and a secondary middle plane 7, the latter being perpendicular to the primary middle planel6.

Specifically, the fixing plate 13 has a substantially rectangular shape.

The fixing plate 13 is arranged so that its primary middle plane 16 is positioned at the primary middle plane 14 of the box-like body 6 and its secondary middle plane 17 is positioned parallel to the secondary middle plane 15 of the box-like body 6. The cylinder 2 is arranged on the secondary middle plane 17 and outside the primary middle plane 16 of the fixing plate 13.

Advantageously, the fixing plate 13 and the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 have adjusting means 18 for adjusting the mutual engagement position and that cooperate to adjust the entry of the lock 1 and the hand opening of the lock 1. The adjusting means 18 are configured and arranged so as to adjust the linear engagement position of the fixing plate 13 to the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 along a direction L perpendicular to the lateral wall 9 of the box-like body 6. This adjustment thus keeps the primary middle plane 16 of the fixing plate 13 arranged in a position coincident with the primary middle plane 14 of the box-like body 6, whereas it varies the distance between the secondary middle plane 17 of the fixing plate 13 and the secondary middle plane 15 of the box-like body 6. This adjustment can modify the entry of the lock 1.

The adjusting means 18 are also configured and arranged so as to adjust the angular engagement position of the fixing plate 13 to the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 around an axis M perpendicular to the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6. The fixing plate 13 is provided on the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 in two angular positions offset by 180°. In each of the two angular positions, the fixing plate 13 has a primary middle plane 16 arranged at the primary middle plane 14 of the box-like body 6. This adjustment can modify the hand opening of the lock 1. The adjustment means (18) comprises a first and a second longitudinal slot 19, 20, which are parallel and spaced apart and selectively engageable by the cam 3 for the transmission of the command to the actuating means 4.

The first and second slots 19, 20 are provided in the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6 and extend longitudinally in the L direction perpendicular to the lateral wall 9 of the box-like body 6.

The first and second slots 19, 20 are positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of the primary midplane 14 of the box-like body 6. The adjustment means 18 further comprises pins 23, 24 for locking the fixing plate 13 in one of the possible linear positions of engagement with the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6.

The locking pins 23, 24 are engageable in corresponding retaining seats 21, 22 selected from among a plurality of retaining seats 21, 22 arranged in succession in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slots 19, 20.

The locking pins 23, 24 are provided on the inner side of the fixing plate 13, whereas the retaining seats 21, 22 are provided in the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6.

Preferably, the retaining seats 21, 22 have a constant spacing step.

A first series of retaining seats 21 is provided along the first slot 19 on one side of the primary midplane 14 of the box-like body 6 and a second series of retaining seats 22 is provided along the second slot 20 on the other side but at the same distance from the primary midplane 14 of the box-like body 6.

Homologous retaining seats of the first and second series of retaining seats 21, 22 are aligned in planes parallel to the secondary midplane 15 of the box-like body 6.

In particular, the retaining seats 21, 22 are formed by notches provided along the edge of the slots 19, 20.

Preferably, the locking pins 23 , 24 are two and are arranged on one side of the primary midplane 16 of the fixing plate 13 and the other on the other side but at the same distance from the primary midplane 16 of the fixing plate 13.

The distance between the two locking pins 23, 24 is the same distance as provided between the two series of retaining seats 21, 22. Lastly, the two pins 23, 24 are aligned along the secondary midplane 17 of the fixing plate 13.

Preferably, the adjustment means 18 further comprises a longitudinal slot 25 provided in the fixing plate 13, and a loosenable screw 26 for fastening the fixing plate 13 to the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6.

The slot 25 extends longitudinally into the primary midplane 16 of the fixing plate 13.

The fastening screw 26 is disposed through the slot 25 and is screwed into a hole 30 provided in the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6.

The thickness of the slot 25 is configured so that it allows the stem but not the head of the fastening screw 26 to pass.

Along the slot 25 there are provided reference notches 27 for positioning the fastening screw 26.

Lastly, the box-like body 6 has, on its top wall 11 and its bottom wall 12, positioned symmetrically to its secondary midplane 15, openings 28, 29 for the passage of electric cables of the lock 1. Thus, it is possible to adjust the electrical wiring of the lock 1 to the desired handing.

Naturally, the lock is adjusted before its installation on the door leaf.

The installer selects the handing and the entry of the lock.

If the fixing plate 13 is first fastened against the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6, the installer loosens the screw 26 without unscrewing it completely until allowing the fixing plate 13 to disengage from the locking pins 23, 24 in order to be able to freely translate and/or rotate in its own plane about the M axis coinciding with the axis of the fastening screw 26.

If the handing is already the correct one and it is only necessary to adjust the lock entry, the fixing plate 13 does not need to be rotated and it is simply translated in direction L relative to the rear wall 8 of the box-like body 6.

In this case, the translation of the fixing plate 13 is permitted by the slot 25 along which the fastening screw 26 slides.

If the handing of the lock also needs to be changed, before the translation the fixing plate 13 is subjected to a rotation of 180° about the M axis.

Advantageously, the screw 26 acts in this case as the rotation fulcrum of the fixing plate 13, which is thus guided in its movement from the configuration for right- hand opening of the lock to the configuration of left-hand opening of the lock and vice versa.

It should be noted that the provision of the fastening screw 26 inserted in the slot

25, although preferable because the fastening screw 26 advantageously also acts as pin guiding the rotation of the fixing plate 13, is not strictly necessary since once the lock 1 is mounted, the fixing plate 13 remains in position due to the simple cooperation with the wall of the door leaf. In this regard, the version of the fixing plate 13 shown in figure 10 is not provided with the slot 25.

Lastly, if it is only necessary to change the handing of the lock, the fixing plate 13 is exclusively subjected to a rotation of 180° about the M axis.

In each of the adjustment positions of the fixing plate 13, the pair of locking pins

23, 24 is arranged in a corresponding pair of retaining seats 21, 22 and the cam 3 engages selectively in the longitudinal slot 19 or 20 and comes out from the inner side of the rear wall of the box-like body 6 for engaging the actuating means 4, for example selectively one between two racks 32, 33 provided on a translating plate

31 operationally connected in a known manner to the bolt 5.

The lock to be applied with high flexibility of use thus conceived is susceptible of numerous changes and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be of any type according to the requirements and the state of art.