DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a multi-controlled security lock specially designed for use a part of security systems installed for the protection of any areas and capable of being operated locally by a key and remotely by electrical control .

Prior art locks of this type are generally provided with a latch element that can be moved back forth by either a key or electric control devices typically consisting of power solenoids.

Prior art security locks, however, have several disadvantages, the main one be ng the large number of component parts resulting in costly manufacture and poor reliability.

One more disadvantage of prior art security locks is that they are manufactured in different versions each meeting specific application requirements such as for instance right-hand or left-hand for installation on right hinged or left hinged doors, respectively, and outside and inside according as to whether they are to be installed on the outer or inner face of the door to be protected, and the like.

A further disadvantage of prior art security locks is that they cannot generally be operated by a panic handle from inside the area to be protected in order to permit fast emergency exit.

A main object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved more reliable security lock whose low cost is afforded by the less number

of component parts used and the ease of manufacturing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a perfectly symmetrical or universal security lock such that one model thereof can be used in every kind of applications as both a left-hand and right-hand lock, mounted on either the door wing or the door frame.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a security lock which can be easily fitted with a panic handle to facilitate exit from the protected area under emergency conditions.

According to the present invention there is provided a multi-controlled security lock characterized in that it comprises in combination: a slide which can be moved back and forth with respect to the frame by at least one of two control devices i.e. a key control device or a remote electric control device; a carriage constrained by lock bolts and movable back and forth with respect to the frame; and a non-reversible actuating device located between said slide and said carriage, the arrangement being such that the back and forth movement of the slide causes, through said non-reversible device, the back and forth movement of said carriage, however, a force exerted on said carriage, at least in the lock opening direction, causes the carriage to be locked in position.

A panic device driving said slide is also provided.

A security lock constructed according to the present invention will, therefore, feature high security, both active and passive, as well as simplicity and low cost due to the less number of component parts.

The preferred embodiment of a multi-controlled security lock constructed according to the present invention will now be described in more detail by way of example, though not limitative, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a side view, partially in section, of a preferred embodiment of the lock when the lock bolt is in a retracted or inoperative position; figure 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the lock of figure 1 when the lock bolt is in an extended or operative position; figure 3 is a front view of the lock of figure 1 ; and figure 4 is a top view of the lock of figure 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, the security lock comprises a box frame 10 to which two guides 12, 12' are secured. Sliding along guides 12, 12' are two lock bolts 16, 16' which engage the door frame, as usual .

Lock bolts 16, 16' constrain a carriage 14 which can move back and forth from a retracted or inoperative position inside the security loc ^' k box frame 10, as shown in Fig. 1, to an extended or operative locking position, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein lock bolts 16, 16' extend from box frame 10.

The back and forth movement of carriage 14 is actuated by a slide 18 consisting of a plate provided with two slots 20, 20', and guided by two pins 22, 22' fixed to frame 10, that is to say the movement of slide 18 on frame 10 is guided by two slots 20, 20' located on slide 18 along which two pins 22, 22' fixed to frame 10 slide.

Three slots 24, 24' 24" along which pins 26, 26', 26" slide, respectively, are provided on carriage 14 to permit an axial back and forth movement of carriage 14 relative to frame 10. A side bar 28 is pivoted at one end on pin 30 which is fixed to slide 18, and at the other end on pin 32 sliding along two superposed slots, one slot 24 being machined in carriage 14 and the other slot 36 being machined in frame 10.

Since the end portion of slide 36 located on frame 10 and that of slot 34 located on carriage 14 are both approximately 45-degree inclined with respect to carriage 14 direction of movement, when pin 32 reaches the inclined end portion of slide 36 located on frame 10, carriage 14 will advance a shorter length that slide 18 does because of the slant path it travels through, and side bar 28 will then be driven to an oblique position and will eventually be set to the maximum slant angle when carriage 14 reaches the opera¬ tive position, as better shown in Fig. 2.

It ensues that carriage 14 cananot be moved away from the operative or lock position since any force exerted upon it with the purpose of unlocking it, would act upon slide 18 through side bar 28. Since, however, side bar 28 is substantially inclined, such

a force applied to carriage 14 will tend to cause side bar 28 to rotate further, whereas the constraint formed by slot 36 located on frame 10 will tend to make it rotate in the reverse direction.

Thus, pin 32 will be clutched between slot 36 located on frame 10 and slot 34 located on carriage 14, and the latter can no longer be moved unless by direct action from slide 18 through side bar 28.

To move carriage 14 back to the inoperative or unlocked position, slide 18 must be moved leftwards, viewing Fig. 2, drawing along side bar 28 trough pin 30 thereof, thus forcing pin 32 to travel through the oblique portion of slot 36 located on frame 10 and of slot 34 located on carriage 14, eventually moving carriage 14 backwards into the security lock body.

Slide 18 is actuated by three control devices, namely a manual control device 38, a remote control device 40, and a panic control device 42.

The manual control device 38 consists of a conventional key-operated cylinder whose rotary motion is transmitted to slide 18 through a gear train whose final gear 44 has one tooth less. Gear 44 co-operates with a rack 46 which is constructed so that when the key control device 38 is at its either end position, slide 18 and the cylinder will disengage from each other thus allowing the other control devices ^" to be used .

The remote control device 40 comprises an electric motor 48 which drives a rack 50 through a reversible reduction gear train.

The panic control device 42 comprises a shaft 52 which is rotated by a panic handle attached thereto in any desired manner. Shaft 52 pushes a double circular cam 54 located on shaft 52 into two-direction rotary motion. Cam 54 forces slide 18 towards the retracted position when shaft 52 is rotated in whichever direction.

It is obvious that other numerous and different changes and modifications can be adopted by the skilled in the art on the embodiments of the present invention hereinbefore described, without departing from its scope. It is, therefore, intended that all these changes and modifications are encompassed in the field of this invention.