DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a panic lock with highly flexible use.

In the prior art, panic locks are known that have a variety of functions depending on the use, which can be in particular for doors of buildings suitable for the access of a defined group of persons or of buildings open to the public, administrative buildings, schools, hotels, warehouses, and offices.

One of the main functions is in particular the possibility of disabling the outer handle of the door or window, the possibility of driving both the bolt and the latch of the lock with only the key or with the inner handle of the door or window.

Generally, depending on the functions for which they are intended, the panic locks are made with mechanical components that are all or almost all deliberately dedicated.

The manufacturer, in order to be able to manufacture a range of panic locks, finds himself forced to provide an extremely large number of product codes, which obviously significantly complicates the management of warehouse stocks and has a not insignificant impact on the final cost.

The technical task of the present invention is, therefore, to make a panic lock which enables the complained about technical drawbacks of the prior art to be eliminated.

In the context of this technical task, one object of the invention is to make a panic lock that is suitable for implementation with different functions without modifying the basic construction thereof.

The technical task, and these and other objectives, according to the present invention are achieved by making a panic lock for doors or windows comprising a case, a translatable bolt supported by a support plate provided with a slot, a translatable latch, a slit for introducing a key, a cylinder having a pawl that is rotatable by said key to move said bolt, a rotatable element for driving the latch, a cam present on said rotatable element for driving the latch, a movement receiver and distributor comprising at least one first rotatable plate pivoted on the case, said first plate comprising a first shaped perimeter take-up profile for taking up the movement from said pawl, a second shaped perimeter take-up profile for taking up the movement from said cam, and a drawing organ of the bolt that is slidable in said slot, said slot having a shaped intermediate portion for the reversible movement of the bolt by the drawing organ, a first and respectively a second end portion shaped for locking the bolt by the drawing organ in end extraction and respectively extraction end stroke positions from the/into the case, an elastic pushing element being further provided pivoted on the case and interacting with said first plate to assist said end stroke positions to be reached.

The receiver and distributor enables the panic lock to perform the basic function of combined driving of the latch and of the bolt by a grip that operates from the inner side of the door or window on said rotatable element for driving the latch.

Advantageously, the panic lock having the aforesaid basic characteristics can be implemented with additional components to perform different functions.

In one embodiment of the invention, the panic lock comprises a longitudinal lever for retracting the latch having a first end constrained on said rotatable element for driving the latch and a second end longitudinally opposite said first end having a perimeter take-up profile for taking up the movement from said pawl.

This retraction lever for retracting the latch makes driving of the latch by the key possible.

In one embodiment of the invention the lock has an inner rotor that is solidly constrained with said rotatable element for driving the latch and having an engagement seat for a square pin for driving the latch from the inner side of the door or window, an outer rotor having an engagement seat for a square pin for driving the latch from the outer side of the door or window, a transmission lever interacting with said movement receiver and distributor for switching between a connection state and a disconnection state of said outer rotor from said rotatable element for driving the latch.

The splitting of the square pin and the rotor that has the engagement seat for the square pin together with the provision of the transmission lever makes possible the function of enabling and disabling an outer grip, for example a handle or a knob provided for driving the latch from the outer side of the door or window.

Advantageously, when the function of enabling and disabling the outer grip is implemented, said movement distributor and receiver provides a second rotatable plate interacting with said transmission lever to switch the state of said transmission lever.

Advantageously, the second plate can be configured and arranged to perform the function of enabling or disabling the outer grip automatically when the bolt is extracted or to perform the function of enabling and disabling at the request of the outer grip.

Advantageously, the second plate can be configured to perform the function of enabling and disabling at the request of the outer grip by a complete turn of the key or by a partial turn of the key to prevent the key being extracted when the outer grip is enabled.

In one embodiment of the invention, in the field of two-wing doors and windows the panic lock comprises an extraction plate of said drawing organ for drawing from said first end portion of said slot, said extraction plate being parallel to, facing and translatable parallel to said support plate and having a protrusion for taking up the movement positionable in front of said bolt and a slot in which said drawing organ is slidable.

The provision of said extraction plate of said drawing organ makes possible the function of releasing the bolt from the extraction end stroke position through the effect of a thrust from the outside, received from the opening control element positioned on the second wing, on the protrusion for taking up the movement.

Other characteristics of the present invention are further defined in the following claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will more fully emerge from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the panic lock according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: figure la shows an exploded view of the basic mechanism that is common to all the versions of the panic lock;

figure lb shows a raised side view of the basic mechanism of the panic lock of figure la with the bolt ejected and the latch ejected;

figure lc shows a raised side view of the basic mechanism of the panic lock of figure la with the bolt retracted and the latch ejected;

figure Id shows a raised side view of the basic mechanism of the panic lock of figure la with retracted bolt and latch;

figure 2a shows a raised side view of a panic lock, with the bolt retracted and the latch ejected, incorporating the basic mechanism and having a function of controlling the latch by a key;

figure 2b shows a raised side view of the lock of figure 2a, with the bolt and latch ejected;

figure 3a shows an exploded view of a panic lock incorporating the basic mechanism and having a function of automatic enabling and disabling of the outer grip;

figure 3b shows a raised side view of the lock of figure 3a, with a disabled outer grip;

figure 3c shows a raised side view of the lock of figure 3a, with an enabled outer grip;

figure 4a shows a raised side view of a panic lock incorporating the basic mechanism and having a function of enabling or disabling the outer grip by a complete turn of the key, wherein the bolt is ejected and the outer grip is disabled; figure 4b shows a raised side view of the lock of figure 4a, wherein the bolt is retracted and the outer grip is still disabled;

figure 4c shows a raised side view of the lock of figure 4a, wherein the bolt is retracted and the outer grip enabled;

figure 5a shows a raised side view of a panic lock incorporating the basic mechanism and having a function of enabling or disabling the outer grip with the key in a non-extractable position when the outer grip is enabled;

figure 5b shows a raised side view of the panic lock of figure 5a, when the outer grip is disabled; figure 6 shows a prospective view of a detail of the basic mechanism;

figures 7a and respectively 7b show a lateral raised view of a panic lock incorporating the basic mechanism and having the function of releasing the bolt for a two-wing door or window, with the bolt ejected and respectively retracted.

Equivalent parts of the various panic lock versions will be indicated by the same reference number.

With reference to the cited figures, a panic lock for a door or window is shown that is indicated overall by the reference number 1.

As will become clearer below, the invention provides a basic mechanism that is common to all locks.

The various lock versions incorporate the basic mechanism and additional components for performing the functions to which they are assigned.

The panic lock 1 comprises a case 2 with a substantially parallelepiped conformation formed by a box 2a and a cover 2b, wherein the box 2a defines a first flat flank 2c of the case 2, a flat rear side 2d of the case 2, upper and lower flat planes 2e, 2f of the case 2, whilst the cover 2b defines a second flat flank 2g of the case 2 parallel to the first flat flank 2c. The box 2a and the cover 2b lastly define in combination a front side 2h of the case 2.

The case 2 is housable in a seat that opens on the front side of the door or window and penetrates in a front-back direction into the thickness of the door or window (not shown).

In a known manner, the case 2 houses a bolt 3 and a latch 6 and has a housing seat 34 for a cylinder (not shown overall) provided with a rotatable pawl 7 for driving the bolt 3 and a slit (not shown) for introducing a key (not shown) to drive the pawl 7.

In a known manner, the bolt 3 is translated in the front-back direction of the case 2 between a position of extraction from the case 2 through a window provided on the front side 2h of the case 2 and a position of complete retraction into the case 2.

In particular, the bolt 3 is supported in a fixed manner by a support plate 4 coupled in a translatable manner with the case 2 by appropriate linear guides including a longitudinal slot 35 of the support plate 4 engaged by a guide pin 36 fixed in the case 2.

The support plate 4 is flat and is arranged parallel to the flat flanks 2c, 2g of the case 2.

In a known manner, also the latch 6 is translated in the front-back direction of the case 2 between a position of extraction from the case 2 through a window provided on the front side 2h of the case 2 and a position of complete retraction into the case 2.

In particular, the latch 6 is supported in a fixed manner to the head of a rod 37 that is contrastingly translatable and through the action of a spring 38, in particular a torsional spring 38 pivoted on the case 2 and having a drive arm engaged with a flange 39 of the tail of the rod 37 and a reaction arm resting on the inner wall of the case 2.

The panic lock 1 provides a rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

The drive element 8 for driving the latch 6 is formed by a shaped plate pivoted on the case 2 with a rotation axis that is orthogonal to the flanks 2c, 2g of the case 2.

The drive element 8 for driving the latch 6 has a ridge 45 for driving the latch 6, the ridge 45 engaging the side of the flange 39 of the tail of the rod 37 opposite the side engaging the torsional spring 38.

On opposite sides of the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6 an inner rotor 27 having an engagement seat 46 for a square pin (not shown) for driving the latch 6 from the inner side of the door or window, and an outer rotor 27’ having an engagement seat 46’ for a square pin (not shown) for driving the latch 6 from the outer side of the door or window are positioned. The inner rotor 27 and the outer rotor 27’ are rotatable coaxially with the rotatable element 8.

The inner rotor 27 and the outer rotor 27’ are in particular contrastingly rotatable through the action of elastic means 47 between two end positions defined by two end strokes 70, 71 fixed in the case 2.

The engagement seats 46, 46’ for the square pin are centred on the common rotation axis of the inner rotor 27 and of the outer rotor 27’ .

The inner rotor 27 is fixed to the rotatable element 8 and, depending on the application, also the outer rotor 27’ can be fixed or not fixed to the rotatable element 8.

If the inner rotor 27 and the outer rotor 27’ are solidly constrained with the rotatable element 8, a locking peg 49 is for example provided that joins the three parts together fixedly.

If on the other hand only the inner rotor 27 is solidly constrained with the rotatable element 8, a locking screw 48 is for example provided that joins the two parts together fixedly.

In certain versions of the lock, the square pins for driving the latch 6 from the inner side and from the outer side of the door or window can be made of a single piece, in other versions of the lock the square pins for driving the latch 6 from the inner side and from the outer side of the door or window are on the other hand structurally separate and independent.

Rotors 27 and 27’ can be inside or outside indifferently, as a function of the orientation of the latch 6 (rotated by 180°). Conventionally, the inner rotor is indicated by the number 27 and the outer rotor is indicated by the number 27’ .

Advantageously, the panic lock 1 also provides a movement receiver and distributor comprising at least one rotatable first plate 10 pivoted on the case 2.

The first plate 10 comprises a first shaped perimeter take-up profile 12 for taking up the movement from the pawl 7, a second shaped perimeter take-up profile 13 for taking up the movement from a cam 9 present on the element 8 for driving the latch 6, and a drawing organ 14 for drawing the bolt 3 that is slidable in a slot 5 of the bolt 3.

The drawing organ 14 is more precisely in the form of a pin fixed orthogonally to the first plate 10

The second take-up profile 13 comprises more precisely a convex corner of the perimeter edge of the first plate 10.

The first plate 10 is interposed between the pawl 7 and the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

The first plate 10 in particular has a flat elongated conformation, is arranged parallel to the flat sides 2c, 2g of the case 2 and is pivoted on the case 2 with a rotation axis that is orthogonal to the flanks 2c, 2g of the case 2.

More precisely, the first plate 10 is interposed between one of the two flat flanks 2c, 2g of the case 2 and the support plate 4 of the bolt 3.

The elongated conformation of the first plate 10 is such that the distance of the drawing organ 14 from the rotation fulcrum 16 of the first plate 10 is greater than the maximum between the distances of the first take-up profile 12 and of the second take-up profilel3 from the rotation fulcrum 16 of the first plate 10.

The slot 5 of the bolt 3 has an intermediate portion 5a shaped for the reversible movement of the bolt 3 by the drawing organ 14, a first end portion 5b shaped for locking the bolt 3 by the drawing organ 14 in the end stroke position for extraction from the case 2, and a second end portion 5c shaped for locking the bolt 3 by the drawing organ 14 in the end stroke position for retraction from the case 2.

The slot 5 has the oblique intermediate portion 5a and the end portions 5b, 5c tilted in directions opposite the oblique intermediate portion 5a.

The panic lock 1 provides also an elastic pushing element 11 pivoted on the case 2 and interacting with the first plate 10 to assist the end stroke positions of the bolt 3 to be reached.

In one preferred embodiment, the elastic pushing element 11 is linear and has a stress axis that is coplanar with the first plate 10.

When the bolt 3 is moved between its end stroke positions, the stress axis of the elastic pushing element 11 oscillates from one side to the other of the straight line joining the rotation fulcrums 15, 16 of the elastic pushing element 11 and of the first plate 10.

The stress axis of the elastic pushing element 11 at the end stroke positions of the bolt 3 has substantially the same distance from the rotation fulcrum 16 of the first plate 10.

The elastic pushing element 11 comprises a helical spring 17 and a stem 18 engaged slidingly in a diameter hole 19 of a rotation pin 20 defining also the fulcrum 15 of the pushing element 11. The stem 18 has a head 18a permanently engaged in a seat 21 provided on the perimeter edge of the first plate 10.

The spring 17 winds around the stem 18 and is compressed between the head 18a of the stem 18 and the rotation pin 20.

The special arrangement and construction of the elastic pushing element 11 enables a rotation force to be applied that is permanently coplanar with the first plate 10.

The first plate 10 is thus not subjected to torsional stress that could, if present, alter the lying plane of the first plate 10 with consequent risk of malfunction of the panic lock 1. The elastic pushing element 11, during rotation of the first plate 10 by the pawl 7 that engages with the first profile 12, is able to assist the action of the pawl 7.

Further, when the elastic pushing element 11 reaches the position of the first plate 10 corresponding to the end stroke position of the bolt 3, the elastic pushing element 11 is able to make the first plate 10 maintain the position reached to avoid movements of the bolt 3 that are not required.

In order to assist the disengagement of the pawl 7 from the first shaped perimeter take-up profile 12 of the first plate 10, the panic lock 1 has a flexible organ 40 articulated on the support plate 4 of the bolt 3, which disengages the pawl 7 from the perimeter recess 12 of the first plate 10.

The flexible organ 40 in particular is shaped as an "S"-shaped plate, having a pivot 40’ pivoted in the hole 60 of the support plate 4 of the bolt 3, and a tooth 40” engaging the pawl 7.

The pawl 7, when it engages the first shaped perimeter take-up profile 12 of the first plate 10, also engages and flexes the flexible organ 40. The elastic energy accumulated by the flexible element is then returned by the flexible organ 40 to the pawl 7 in the step of disengagement of the pawl 7 from the first shaped perimeter take-up profile 12 of the first plate 10 so as to facilitate the detachment of the pawl 7 from the first shaped perimeter take-up profile 12 of the first plate 10.

The basic mechanism illustrated until now is common to all the versions of the panic lock 1.

With reference to figures 7a and 7b, the version for a two-wing door or window provides with respect to the basic mechanism an additional component formed by an extraction plate 22 for extracting the drawing organ 14 from the first end portion 5b of the slot 5.

The extraction plate 22 has a protrusion 23 for taking up the movement that is positionable in front of the bolt 3 and a slot 24 wherein the drawing organ 14 is slidable.

The extraction plate 22 is flat and is arranged parallel to the support plate 4 and on the side of the support plate 4 opposite the side facing the first plate 10.

The extraction plate 22 is supported by the support plate 4 in a translatable manner in the same direction of translation as the support plate 4.

The slot 24 of the extraction plate 22 has an intermediate portion 24a that is identical to the intermediate portion 5a of the slot 5 of the support plate 4, and a first end portion 24b that is different from the first end portion 5b of the slot 5 of the support plate 4.

When the protrusion 23 is in a position of front extraction from the bolt 3, the first end portion 5b of the slot 5 and the first end portion 24b of the slot 24 intersect, despite being partially staggered and the drawing organ 14 is positioned through the zone of intersection between the first end portion 5b of the slot 5 and the first end portion 24b of the slot 24.

When the protrusion is on the other hand 23 in the retracted position in the bolt 3, the intermediate portion 5a of the slot 5 and the intermediate portion 24a of the slot 24 are perfectly aligned and traversed by the drawing organ 14.

If opening of the door is commanded by the panic device (which is not shown) present on the second wing, a suitable ejector present in this device, positioned at the bolt 3, is pushed outwards to exert directly on the protrusion 23 a retraction force to retract the bolt 3 inside.

The selective translation of the extraction plate 22 with respect to the support plate 4 produces the complete alignment between the intermediate portion 5a of the slot 5 and the intermediate portion 24a of the slot 24 that were originally partially staggered and, by virtue of the engagement of the wall of the slot 24 with the drawing organ 14, an oscillation of the first plate 10 owing to which the drawing organ 14, initially positioned in the first end portion 5b of the slot 5 and in the first end portion 24b of the slot 24, moves to the intermediate portion 5a of the slot 5 and to the intermediate portion 24a of the slot 24.

Once the drawing organ 14 has been extracted from the first end portion 5b of the slot 5 and from the first end portion 24b of the slot 24, the ejector (which is not shown) continues its stroke, exerting the force of retraction directly on the front face of the bolt 3.

With reference to figures 2a - 2b, the version of panic lock 1 with the function of recalling the latch 6 by the key provides, with respect to the basic mechanism, an additional component formed by a longitudinal lever 25 for retracting the latch 6 having a first end constrained on the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6 and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end having a perimeter profile 26 for taking up the movement from the pawl 7.

The longitudinal lever 25 for retracting the latch 6 is in turn formed by a flat plate parallel to the first plate 10 and positioned between the latter and one of the flat flanks 2c, 2g of the case 2.

The longitudinal lever 25 for retracting the latch 6 is more precisely pivoted on the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6 and has an oscillation angle limited for example by suitable interference surfaces.

The oscillation axis of the longitudinal lever 25 for retracting the latch 6 is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

In this version of the lock, the locking peg 49 is used to make the inner rotor 27 and the outer rotor 27’ constrained with the rotatable element 8.

To summarize, when the pawl 7 is driven by the key, in addition to engaging and rotating the first plate 10 that controls the retraction of the bolt 3, the pawl 7 engages and drives the longitudinal lever 25, which in turn transmits movement to the rotatable element 8, which lastly retracts the latch 6.

With the function now disclosed, the panic lock 1 is devoid of a grip for driving the latch from the outer side of the door or window.

With reference to figures 3a - 3c, 4a - 4c, 5a - 5b, the version of panic lock 1 with the function of enabling or disabling the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window provides, with respect to the basic mechanism, also a transmission lever 28 interacting with the movement receiver and distributor for switching between a connection state and a disconnection state of the outer rotor 27’ from the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

In this version of the lock, the locking screw 48 is used that fixes the sole inner rotor 27 to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

The transmission lever 28 is pivoted by a rotation pin 50 on the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6 and is normally retained by an elastic element 29 in the disconnection state.

The transmission lever 28 comprises in particular two identical curved flat bars 28a, 28b which are fixed to one another and aligned at a distance between which the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6 is interposed in the direction of the thickness.

The end 28’ of the transmission lever 28 longitudinally opposite the transmission lever 28 pivoted on the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6, through the effect of the state switch of the transmission lever 28, moves between a position of interference and a position of non interference with the trajectory of an engagement seat 51 provided on the outer rotor 27’.

Only when the transmission lever 28 engages the relative seat 51 is the outer rotor 27’, in the rotation stroke, able to rotate the rotatable element 8 in a solidly constrained manner to drive the latch 6.

The angular positions of the transmission lever 28, to which the connection state and the disconnection state correspond, are identified precisely by suitable end strokes of the rotation lever 28.

More precisely, the end rotation strokes are formed by a first pin 52 and a second pin 53 fixed to the transmission lever 28 and adapted to interacting with stop surfaces 54, 55 obtained perimeterally on the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

The elastic element 29, in the illustrated solution, is a helical spring retained in a state of axial compression between the second end stroke pin 53 and the bottom of a slit 56 that opens on the perimeter of the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

Advantageously, in these lock versions the movement distributor and receiver also comprises a rotatable second plate 30, 30’, 30” interacting with the transmission lever 28 to switch the state thereof.

The second plate 30, 30’, 30” has on the perimeter a cam 31, 3 G, 31” for driving the transmission lever 28.

The second plate 30, 30’, 30” in particular is flat and parallel to the first plate 10.

Moreover, the second plate 30, 30’, 30” has the same rotation pivot as the first plate 10.

The second plate 30, 30’, 30” can oscillate with respect to the first plate 10 contrastingly and through the action of an elastic element 32, 32’, 32”.

The second plate 30, 30’, 30” is positioned to interact directly with the bar 28a facing the side of the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6 where the inner rotor 27 is positioned.

With specific reference to figures 3a - 3c, the panic lock 1 automatically enables and disables the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window.

In practice, the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window is automatically disabled by the extraction movement of the bolt 3 and enabled by the retraction movement of the bolt 3.

Starting from the condition illustrated in figure 3b wherein the bolt 3 is ejected and the transmission lever 28 is in the disconnected position, when the user inserts the key into the cylinder of the lock and rotates the key by a complete turn in the direction that is necessary to retract the bolt 3, the pawl 7 engages the first plate 10 and rotates the first plate 10 (anticlockwise in figure 3b) to command the retraction of the bolt 3, the first plate 10 in turn rotating in the same direction the second plate 30 and the cam 31 of the second plate 30 rotates the transmission lever 28 until the alignment of the end 28’ of the latter on the relative engagement seat 51 is brought about. At this point, if the user rotates the outer grip, the command from the outer rotor 27’ is actually transmitted to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6. When the user again inserts the key into the cylinder of the lock and rotates the key by a complete turn in the opposite direction that is necessary to extract the bolt 3, the pawl 7 engages the first plate 10 and rotates the first plate 10 (clockwise in figure 3c) to command the extraction of the bolt 3, the first plate 30 in turn rotating in the same direction the second plate 30 and the cam 31 of the second plate 30 rotates in the opposite direction to the previous direction the transmission lever 28 until the disengagement of the second plate 30 from the relative engagement seat 51 is brought about. At this point, if the user rotates the outer grip, the command from the outer rotor 27’ is not transmitted to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

With specific reference to figures 4a - 4c, e 5a - 5b the panic lock 1 provides the voluntary enabling and disabling of the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window.

The second plate 30’, 30” has a perimeter profile 33’, 33” for taking up the movement directly from the pawl 7.

The plate 30’, 30” rotates selectively with respect to the first plate 10.

The maximum permitted size of this selective rotation of the second plate 30’, 30” with respect to the first plate 10 is defined by the length of a slot 58’, 58” in the form of an arc having the centre on the common rotation axis of the first plate 10 and of the second plate 30’, 30” wherein a stop 57 is slidable.

In the specific case, the stop 57 is formed by a pin fixed to the first plate 10 and the slot 58’, 58” is formed on the second plate 30’, 30” or vice versa.

The panic lock 1 illustrated in figure 4a - 4c provides the voluntary enabling and disabling of the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window by rotation by a complete turn of the key in the cylinder of the lock.

Starting from the condition in which the bolt 3 is already in the retracted position and the transmission lever 28 is in the disconnected position, when the user inserts the key into the cylinder of the lock and rotates the key by a complete turn in the same direction that is necessary to retract the bolt 3, the pawl 7 does not engage the first plate 10 but only the second plate 30’, which can rotate selectively with respect to the first plate 10, which remains stationary. The cam 3 of the second plate 30’ rotates the transmission lever 28 until the alignment of the end 28’ of the latter relative to the engagement seat 51 is brought about. At this point, if the user rotates the outer grip, the command from the outer rotor 27’ is actually transmitted to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6. When the user again inserts the key into the cylinder of the lock and rotates the lock by a complete turn in the opposite direction that is necessary to extract the bolt 3, the pawl 7 engages the second plate 30’ and rotates it in the opposite direction to the preceding direction, and the cam 3 of the second plate 30’ rotates the transmission lever 28 in the opposite direction to the preceding direction until the disengagement of the second plate 30’ from the relative engagement seat 51 is brought about. At this point, if the user rotates the outer grip, the command from the outer rotor 27’ is not transmitted to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

The panic lock 1 illustrated in figures 5a - 5b provides the voluntary enabling and disabling of the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window by rotation of less than a complete turn of the key in the cylinder of the lock to prevent the extraction of the key when the grip that operates on the outer side of the door or window is enabled.

The main difference with respect to the previously disclosed version of panic lock consists of limiting the maximum angle of rotation permitted to the plate 30” with respect to the first plate 10. The plate 30” has the same conformation as plate 30’ and the slot 58” is less long than the slot 58’.

Starting from the condition in which the bolt 3 is already in the retracted position and the transmission lever 28 is in the disconnected position, when the user inserts the key into the cylinder of the lock and rotates the lock by a partial turn in the direction necessary to retract the bolt 3, the pawl 7 does not engage the first plate 10 but only the second plate 30”, which can rotate selectively with respect to the first plate 10, which remains stationary. At the end of a rotation that is more limited than in the previously illustrated case, the cam 31” of the second plate 30” nevertheless rotates the transmission lever 28 until the alignment of the end 28’ of the latter relative to the engagement seat 51 is brought about. At this point, if the user rotates the outer grip, the command from the outer rotor 27’ is actually transmitted to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6. In this condition, the key remains imprisoned in the cylinder of the lock. When the user rotates the key by a partial turn in the opposite direction that is necessary to extract the bolt 3, the pawl 7 engages the second plate 30” and rotates the second plate 30” in the direction opposite the preceding direction, and the cam 31” of the second plate 30” rotates the transmission lever 28 in the opposite direction to the preceding direction until the disengagement thereof from the relative engagement seat 51 is brought about. At this point, the key is free and can be extracted from the cylinder of the lock and if the user rotates the outer grip, the command from the outer rotor 27’ is not transmitted to the rotatable element 8 for driving the latch 6.

Obviously, the versions of panic lock illustrated in figures 4a - 4c, and 5a - 5b must provide structural features and mechanical properties, in particular stiffness for the springs 17, 32’, 32” so as to permit selective movement of the second plate 30’, 30” with respect to the first plate 10. Naturally, several functions that are compatible with one another amongst those disclosed can be implemented modularly in the same panic lock. For example, the version of panic lock for a two-wing door or window is compatible with all the other functions disclosed above.

The panic lock as conceived herein is susceptible to many modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the invented concept; furthermore, all the details are replaceable by technically equivalent elements.

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