It is has been common practice for centuries for locks to be operated by keys that are inserted and turned. For the disabled for instance by arthritis, insertion can be relatively easy whereas turning can be relatively difficult.

This is particularly so with a so-called Yale lock, in which a key is inserted into a barrel and serrations on the edge of the key raise pin tumblers to exactly the correct height, allowing the cylinder of the barrel to be turned with the key to withdraw the bolt.

The object of the present invention is to provide a lock which can be freed without the need for turning of a key.

According to the invention there is provided a key-freed lock for a door comprising: a body adapted to be fixed to the door and having: a bolt slidably mounted therein generally parallel with the door when the lock is fitted to the door; a barrel rotatable about an axis generally transverse to the door; a key-freed, barrel-freeing mechanism; a lock release member mounted on the body, and the door in use, for movement generally parallel with the said axis from a rest position to a lock- opening position; a mechanical connection between the release member, the barrel and the bolt for rotating the barrel and drawing the bolt to open the lock when the release member is moved, with the barrel freed, from the rest position to the lock- opening position.

Whilst it is envisaged that the barrel may be of the type in a Yale lock in which the key can be turned to draw the bolt, with the release member providing an

auxiliary method of drawing the bolt, in the preferred embodiment, the rotatable barrel as such does not receive a key.

In the preferred embodiment, the key-freed, barrel-freeing mechanism comprises : a key receiver fixed in the body, having a slot for reception of the key and being circular in cross-section; a barrel rotatably mounted around the receiver and being annular in cross- section; a surround around the barrel, the surround having a circular bore for the barrel; at least one pin bore extending from the surround, through the barrel when aligned and into the key receiver as far as the slot; and a least one respective pin, having three sections and a spring, accommodated in the or a respective one of the pin bores, the or each spring urging its pin inwards towards the key slot; the key being formed to urge the pin (s) outwards such that the sections are positioned with joints between the sections aligned with interfaces between the barrel and the key receiver on the one hand and the surround on the other hand.

Whilst it is envisaged that the barrel may have a varying internal and external diameter along its length, it preferably has constant internal and external diameters along it length.

The lock may have a few as one pin or as many as six or more pins according to its degree of security.

The lock release member can be a slidable member adapted on one side of the door for pushing to open the lock and the door away from the user and on the other side for pulling to open the lock and the door towards the user. However in the preferred embodiment, a lever operatively connected to the bolt is provided, the lever being of substantial size so as to be easily managed.

The lock release member can be operatively connected to the barrel by a lever linkage system comprising the barrel rotating means. Alternatively, as in the preferred embodiment, the rotating means can comprise a rack and pinion mechanism, usually including a bevel gears to change the rotation from being about an axis parallel with the door to one at right angles to the door which will be the normal orientation of the barrel.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view inside a body of a lock according to the invention, showing the lock's bolt; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bolt; Figure 3 is an end view of the body assembled to a door; Figure 4 is a plan view of the bolt alone engaged with a catch on a door jamb; Figure 5 is a side view of the body of the lock with its inside release lever 8 and the bolt in their normal, locked position; Figure 6 is a view inside the body corresponding to Figure 5; Figure 7 is a view similar to the Figure 5, showing the lever and bolt in their release, open position; Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 and corresponding to Figure 6; Figure 9 is a front perspective view of a barrel carrier of the lock; Figure 10 is a rear perspective view of the barrel carrier without the barrel fitted; Figure 11 is a similar view to Figure 10, with the barrel fitted; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view through the barrel with the barrel locked; Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 with the barrel freed on insertion of the key; Figure 14 is a plan view of the working components of the lock in its locked state; Figure 15 is an end view in the direction of the arrow XV in Figure 14; and Figure 16 is a perspective view of the lock components in their state when the lock is key freed and the outer release pin has be released to with draw the bolt.

Referring to the drawings, the lock there shown has a body 1, with a bolt 2 slidably arranged in it. The body has a face 3 for fixed abuttal against a door D in use. The bolt has a chamfered nose 5 and an internal extension 6. The nose engages a catch 7 for holding the door closed, the catch being fixed to a door jamb J. The body carries pivotally an internal lever 8 which is connected to a cam plate 9. Depression of the distal end of the lever rotates the cam, which engages an abutment 10 at the end of the extension 6 and draws the bolt for opening of the lock and door from the inside.

In these respects the lock is conventional.

On the opposite side of the door from the body, a barrel carrier 11 is let into the face of the door and held in place by a retention plate 13 and screws 14 covered by the body 1. The barrel carrier has a central key receiver 15 and a surround 16, which are integral with a front flange 17 and define between them an annular barrel receiving space 18, in which a barrel 19 is housed. The surround is peened over to retain the barrel. Each of the surround 16, the barrel 19 and the key receiver 15 have a line of pin bores 20 drilled in them as far as a central key slot 21 in the key receiver.

Three part pins 22 and springs 23 are housed in the bores, with the springs outermost and the ends of the bores 20 peened over to retain the springs and pins. The individual parts of the pins and serrations 24 on the key 25 are such that the serrations move the pins up against the springs to bring the middle parts of the pins into register with the barrel, whereby the pins do not hinder rotation of the barrel, with the key inserted. The arrangement is similar to that of a Yale lock although more complex in that that lock has two part pins.

A yoke 26 engages the barrel and extends back to engage in a socket 31 provided in a bevel gear 32 accommodated in a recess 33 formed by a back plate 34 to the body 1. The bevel gear rotatably extends through the back plate and is connected to a second cam plate 35 on the opposite side of the bolt extension 6 from the cam plate 9. Rotation of the bevel gear withdraws the bolt in like manner to rotation of the lever 8, provided such rotation is permitted by insertion of the key in the key receiver.

Also journalled in the back plate 34 and a web 36 extending towards the body 1 is a shaft 37 carrying a second bevel gear 38 in mesh with the first one and a pinion

39. A rack 40 on a lock release pin 41. The distal end of this extends through a guide 42 in the outside face of the door adjacent the barrel carrier 11.

In use, with the lock fitted to a door and the door closed, the key is inserted in the lock, the lock is freed to open. It and the door is actually opened by pressing on end of the release pin 41. This action turns the pinion 39, the bevel gears 38,32 and the second cam plate 35. The bolt is thus withdrawn and the door can be opened. The key is then withdrawn. Thus the action can be seen to be entirely a push action except for final key withdrawal. The lock and door can be slammed shut. They can be opened from the inside by a pressure on the large lever 8.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, a mechanism for turning the first cam plate can be provided on the body in place of the internal lever 8, the mechanism being operated by a pull lever. However, such mechanism should be independent of the lock release pin 41, since the second cam plate cannot turn without the key being in the lock.