DESCRIPTION

The present invention refers to a multi-point lock with translating bolt.

Multi-point locks with translating bolt, so described because they feature a principal translating bolt and a system for relaying the movement of the principal bolt to secondary bolts for secure closure at several points, are today very widespread on the market.

Such locks can have the disadvantage of a mechanism with a large number of construction parts which are rendered necessary for the distribution of all the movements since the rotation of the key in the cylinder of the lock must be able to drive the principal bolt and the latch and also transmit the movement from the principal bolt to the secondary bolts.

This disadvantage also causes greater complexity at the assembly stage and in the final analysis an increase in the costs of production.

There is therefore a need to provide specific mechanisms related to the type of the lock cylinder, which can in fact have an upright cam or of the type projecting to the right or the left of the cylinder.

The technical task which the present invention sets itself is, therefore, to make a multi-point lock with translating bolt which enables the technical disadvantages complained of in the known art to be eliminated.

Within the scope of this technical task an object of the invention is to create a multi-point lock with translating bolt which reduces and optimizes the number of its constituent elements necessary for the distribution of the movements, in order to achieve a saving in cost and overall dimensions and greater efficiency and reliability.

Another object of the invention is to make a multi-point lock with translating bolt which has a high flexibility of use in its mechanism for distributing the movements, in such a way that it can be employed without modification equally for cylinders having a cam of upright type or one projecting to the right or to the left.

The technical task, and these and other objects, are achieved by making a multi-point lock with translating bolt conforming to the independent claims set forth below.

The distributor in the lock conforming to the invention is able to convert its own rotation into a first translation of the bolt and in addition into a second translation of a drive lever for the latch .

The ovalization of the transverse section of the pin for displacing the bolt, together with the provision, in the slot-shaped cam in which the displacing pin slidably engages, of a neutral stretch of cam in which the sliding of the displacing pin does not cause the bolt to be displaced, makes it possible to use the lock in combination with a cylinder having any type of cam, be it upright, projecting to the right or projecting to the left.

Other characteristics of the present invention are defined, furthermore, in the subsequent claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the multi-point lock with translating bolt according to the invention, illustrated by way of indication but without limiting effect, in the attached drawings, in which : figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a lock conforming to a preferred way of realizing the invention; figure 2 shows a view from a lateral side of the lock shown in figure 1 in closed configuration, from which a lateral wall of the containing case has been removed; figure 3 shows the lock shown in figure 2, seen from the opposite lateral side; figure 4 shows a view from a lateral side of the lock shown in figure 1 in open configuration, from which a lateral wall of the containing case has been removed; figure 5 shows the lock shown in figure 4, seen from the opposite lateral side; figure 6 shows a perspective view of a roller usable as a replacement for the latch for the lock shown in figure 1; figure 7 illustrates a preferred solution for the locking means capable of locking the toothed wheel drivable by the cam of the cylinder of the lock until the cylinder is inserted into the corresponding hole in the lock; and figure 8 shows the locking means of figure 7, in the disabled configuration reached after the cylinder is inserted into the corresponding hole in the lock.

With reference to the drawings mentioned, a multipoint lock 1 with translating bolt 2 is shown.

Lock 1 comprises in known manner a case 5, of essentially parallelepiped form, having a front wall 30, a rear wall 31, an upper wall 32, a lower wall 33 and lateral walls 13, 14.

The parts of case 5 are assembled by means of screws 57.

Lock 1 provides in known manner the bolt 2 and preferably a latch 7 parallelly translatable in reversible manner so as to re-enter and move out from case 5 through the front wall 30 of the latter .

In case 5 are fixed in known manner an upper spacer 34, a central spacer 35, a lower spacer 37, a block 36 featuring a translation guide 43 in which a lug 44 on the bolt 2 engages, a block 40 featuring a translation guide 45 for latch 7, and a supporting base 39 for the cylinder (not shown) of lock 1.

Latch 7 features in known manner a shank 51 having at its base a flange 52 in which a finger 53 of a rotatable lever 22 can engage for retracting latch 7, in opposition to a spring 54 suitable for returning latch 7 to the extracted position.

Latch 7 is removably connected to shank 51 by a threaded portion 63 of shank 51 itself.

Figure 6 illustrates a roller 62 which can be used to replace latch 7.

To replace latch 7 with roller 62 it is sufficient to unscrew latch 7 which is extracted through the front wall 30 of case 5, and remove the spring 54 by withdrawing it from a hole 64 provided in the block 40 which is flush with the rear wall 31 of case 5, in order to replace it with a spring of more suitable rigidity.

Extraction of spring 54 and insertion of roller spring 62 are performed by means of a suitable oblique screwdriver.

The rotatable lever 22 has an axis of rotation coaxial with the axis of rotation of the pawl 56 within which is formed the square 24 for the handle (not shown) , and can be driven in known manner in rotation by pawl 56 which is in its turn rotatable in opposition to a return spring 55.

The axis of rotation of pawl 56 is directed perpendicularly to lateral walls 13, 14 of case 5.

Advantageously, lock 1 comprises a rotatable distributor 3 equipped with means 4 of converting its own rotatory movement into a first reversible translation of bolt 2 from the retracted position to a position of extraction from case 5, and into a second reversible translation of a drive lever 6 for latch 7.

In particular, drive lever 6 is a straight, flat longitudinal rod, resting in a longitudinal direction against the rear wall 31 of case 5, along which it is translatable in a direction perpendicular to the upper and lower walls 32, 33 of case 5. The distributor 3 comprises a first toothed wheel 8, with which conversion means 4 are integral.

A second toothed wheel 10 meshes with a third toothed wheel 11, drivable by the cam of the cylinder of lock 1, and features coaxially a toothed pinion 12 which meshes with the first toothed wheel 8.

The first, second and third toothed wheels 8, 10, 11 are themselves rotatable with axes of rotation perpendicular to the lateral walls 13, 14 of case 5.

In particular, the first toothed wheel 8 features centrally a bush (not shown) into which is inserted a rotation pin (not shown) which projects in one piece from lateral wall 13 of case 5, the second toothed wheel 10 is supported by a rotation pin 41 fixed to lateral walls 13, 14 of case 5, while the third wheel 11 is guided in rotation in its own circular recess 42 formed in the supporting base 39 for the cylinder.

The flat conformation and the arrangement of the first and second wheels 8 and 10 is such as to reduce the overall dimensions of the lock. In particular the second toothed wheel 10 is partially fitted into a compartment 27 formed within the thickness of bolt 2, while first toothed wheel 8 overlaps bolt 2.

The conversion means 4 comprise a pin 9 for displacing bolt 2, slidably engaged in a cam 17 formed in bolt 2 and in particular in the side of bolt 2 facing towards lateral wall 13 of case 5.

The displacing pin 9 is located on the first wheel 8 in an eccentric position.

The cam 17 is conformed as an extended slot having an active sliding stretch 28 for pin 9, in which pin 9, sliding as a result of the rotation of the first wheel 8 transmits the movement to bolt 2, and a neutral stretch 20 in which pin 9, although sliding as a result of the rotation of first wheel 8, does not transmit movement to bolt 2.

In particular the active sliding stretch 28 is rectilinear while the neutral sliding stretch 20 is curved.

Pin 9 advantageously features an ovalized transverse section.

The combined provision of the ovalized pin 9 and the neutral stretch 20 of the slot in which it slides advantageously makes it possible to compensate for the differences between the various types of cam available for the cylinder, so that the lock lends itself equally well to use in combination with a cylinder with upright cam or one projecting to the right or to the left.

The conversion means 4 comprise furthermore a formation 18 which projects radially beyond the teeth of first wheel 8 and is engageable with a flange 19 of drive lever 6.

Formation 18 is naturally intended for moving drive lever 6.

Drive lever 6 has a face 50 capable of interfering with a projection 21 on the rotatable lever 22.

Rotatable lever 22 can therefore be activated in rotation independently by drive lever 6 or pawl 56.

Bolt 2 also features a pin 25 for dragging a first plate 26 hooked onto a second plate 58 with which it cooperates to relay the movement of bolt 2, which is the principal bolt, to secondary bolts (not shown) . The first and second plates 25, 26 are integrally translatable in a direction perpendicular to the upper wall 32 and the lower wall 33 of case 5.

The second plate 58 has a window 59 through which latch 7 extends.

Window 59 is shaped in such a way as to prevent the second plate 58 from being able during its own translatory movement to interfere with latch 7.

The first relay plate 26 has a slot 60 in which the dragging pin 25 slidably engages.

The operation of lock 1 according to the invention appears evident from the description and explanation given, and, in particular, is substantially as follows.

The initial angular position of wheels 8, 10, 11 depends on the type of cylinder cam.

The initial angular position of wheels 8, 10, 11 is set up without the dragging pin 9 present on the first wheel 8 moving bolt 2. For example, in the case of a cylinder with cam projecting to the right, as a result of the setup the dragging pin 9 moves longitudinally along the neutral stretch of cam 17, while in the case of a cylinder with cam projecting to the left, as a result of the setup, dragging pin 9 moves in cam 17 exploiting the play caused by the ovalized shape, or vice versa.

When the user turns the key in the cylinder to open the door, the cylinder cam moves to engage the third wheel 11, dragging it in rotation.

The third wheel 11 transmits the movement to the second wheel 10 with which it is in mesh, and the second wheel 10 in its turn transmits the rotation to the first wheel 8 with which it meshes by means of pinion 12.

Pin 9 starts to drag bolt 2, which consequently retracts .

Because of the rotation of the first wheel 8, formation 18 also moves, intercepting the flange 19 of drive lever 6 which in its turn undergoes translation .

When drive lever 6 is translated, its face 50 intercepts projection 21 and drags it, thus bringing about the rotation of the rotatable lever 22, whose finger 53 causes latch 7 to retract.

As a result of the displacement of bolt 2, the dragging pin 25 moves in the slot 60 causing the translation of the first relay plate 26 and with it the second relay plate 58, thus causing also the retraction of the secondary bolts.

With reference to figures 7 and 8, locking means are illustrated capable of locking the third toothed wheel 11 until the cylinder 105 is inserted into the corresponding hole 38 in the lock.

These locking means prevent the third toothed wheel 11 from becoming misaligned with respect to the hole 38 for the cylinder 105 before the cylinder 105 is inserted into the hole 38.

The locking means comprise an elastic strip 100 having a first end secured in a housing 101 formed in the third toothed wheel 11 and a second end secured in housing 102 in a fixed component of the lock.

A ball 103 projects partially into the hole 38 for the cylinder 105 and is retractable into a channel 104 in opposition to the elastic strip 100 to deform it until it is released from the third toothed wheel 11.

In particular during the insertion of cylinder 105 into the corresponding hole 38, the lateral wall of cylinder 105 presses against the ball 103 which retracts completely from hole 38, causing the deformation of elastic strip 100 to a sufficient extent to release the first end from the housing 101 formed in the third toothed wheel 11.

The multi-point lock with translating bolt thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; all the details are furthermore replaceable by technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials employed and also the dimensions can be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.