The present invention relates to a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks, and in particular the invention relates to one of the assemblies through which the lock can ensure the locking of the doors and windows on which it is installed, in areas away from the lock proper (by way of adapted transmission elements interposed between the lock and the assembly proper).

Multipoint locks are constituted by a substantially traditional mechanism (a standard lock), provided with transmission elements (generally arranged above and/or below it) which are associated, including with the interposition of adapted elements designed to further transmit mechanical commands, with specific peripheral assemblies that are provided with a respective sliding latch that is adapted to be removably engaged in an accommodation cavity facing thereto when the lock is in the closed configuration.

Such peripheral assemblies are known in the sector as shootbolts, and they ensure a considerable increase of resistance against tampering with the door leaf that is fitted with them.

The peripheral assemblies can be provided with prism-shaped sliding latches that translate (which perform a translational motion forward and backward with respect to the box-like body that contains them in order to engage in a respective seat of the jamb) and with hook-shaped sliding latches that rotate (rotating about a fixed axis and passing from a retracted configuration to an extracted one in which they engage in the seat of the jamb).

The second type described is particularly secure in that it prevents intrusion operations to force the door leaf by virtue of the retention generated by the hook shape structure.

Methods of breaking and entering are known, which are carried out against hook-shaped sliding latches, which involve applying a force directly on the hook for the purpose of causing it to counter-rotate until it is completely retracted.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks that prevents intrusion actions intended to force the counter-rotation of the hook shaped sliding latch for the corresponding retraction.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks that ensures the maximum security against intrusion actions to force the door leaf.

Another object of the invention is to provide a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks that is constituted of a reduced number of simple components that are easy to assemble.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks which is low cost, easily and practically implemented, and safe in use.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks of the type that comprises a box-like body for accommodating at least one actuation rod for at least one sliding latch which is pivoted on an inner wall of said box-like body and can move between an extracted configuration and a retracted configuration with respect to said box-like body as a result of corresponding translations of said rod along a path inside said box-like body which is defined by at least one first slot thereof within which at least one first plug is engaged which is integral with an inner wall of said box like body, characterized in that:

- said actuation rod comprises at least one contoured second slot for the slideable accommodation of the peg for pivoting said at least one sliding latch, said peg being provided with an eccentric projection which can be accommodated, in the configuration of total extraction of said sliding latch, in a respective recess of said second slot, - at least one rocker arm, which is pivoted on said plug which is integral with said inner wall of said box-like body, comprises an end tab which is contoured and adapted to abut on a niche, of the rim of said sliding latch, of shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said tab, the insertion of said tab into said niche blocking the rotation of said sliding latch,

- a projection of said rod, facing and protruding toward said inner wall of said box-like body to which said plug is coupled, is aligned with a portion of said at least one rocker arm, a translation of said rod causing the abutment of said projection on said portion of said rocker arm, with forcing of the rotation of said rocker arm, with respect to the plug, away from said niche of said sliding latch.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the peripheral assembly for multipoint locks according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a partially cross-sectional side view of a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks according to the invention in a first configuration;

Figure 2 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the peripheral assembly in Figure 1 in a second configuration;

Figure 3 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the peripheral assembly in Figure 1 in a third configuration;

Figure 4 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the peripheral assembly in Figure 1 in a fourth configuration;

Figure 5 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the peripheral assembly in Figure 1 in a fifth configuration;

Figure 6 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the peripheral assembly in Figure 1 in a sixth configuration. With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a peripheral assembly for multipoint locks.

The peripheral assembly 1 for multipoint locks comprises a box-like body 2 for accommodating at least one actuation rod 3 for at least one sliding latch 4 which is pivoted on an inner wall of the box-like body 2.

The sliding latch 4 positively can move between an extracted configuration (shown for the purposes of example in Figure 1) and a retracted configuration (shown for the purposes of example in Figure 4) with respect to the box-like body 2 as a result of corresponding translations of the actuation rod 3 along a path inside the box-like body 2, which is defined by at least one first slot 5 thereof within which at least one first plug 6 is engaged which is integral with an inner wall of the box-like body 2.

The actuation rod 3 comprises at least one contoured second slot 7 for the slideable accommodation of the peg 8 for pivoting the at least one sliding latch 4.

The peg 8 for pivoting is provided with an eccentric projection 9 which can be accommodated, in the configuration of total extraction of the sliding latch 4, in a respective recess 10 of the second slot 7.

At least one rocker arm 11, which is pivoted on the plug 6 which is integral with the inner wall of the box-like body 2, comprises an end tab 12 which is contoured and adapted to abut on a niche 13 of the rim of the sliding latch 4.

The niche 13 has shape and dimensions that are substantially complementary to those of the tab 12: the insertion of the tab 12 into the niche 13 blocks the rotation of the sliding latch 4 (and therefore it constitutes an anti-intrusion contrivance that is particularly effective and relevant).

A projection 14 provided on the actuation rod 3 is facing and protruding toward the inner wall of the box-like body to which the plug 6 is coupled. The projection 14 is aligned with a portion of the at least one rocker arm 11 : a translation of the rod 3 causes the abutment of the projection 14 on a portion of the rocker arm 11 , with forcing of the rotation thereof, with respect to the plug 6 to which it is coupled, away from the niche 13 of the sliding latch 4.

With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted applicative interest, the eccentric projection 9 of the peg 8 is substantially wedge- shaped.

The recess 10 of the second slot 7 has a complementary shape and a greater width with respect to the projection 9, for its accommodation with play.

The play present between the projection 9 and the recess 10 is necessary in order to ensure that, during rotations of the sliding latch 4 (corresponding to the transition from the extracted configuration to the retracted configuration thereof), the projection 9 can change orientation (following that of the sliding latch 4 with which it is integral) without impacting on the walls of the slot 7 that delimits it (in particular of the recess 10).

The assembly 1 can advantageously comprise a spring latch 15 which is kept in a configuration at least partially protruding from the box-like body 2 by respective elastic means (not shown in the accompanying figures).

At least one actuation lever 16 is pivoted on the plug 6 which is integral with the inner wall of the box-like body 2.

A translation of the rod 3 (by way of example, with reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, a translation of the rod 3 toward the top of the box-like body 2) can conveniently cause the abutment of the respective projection 14 on an edge of the lever 16 with consequent retraction of the spring latch 15 within the box-like body.

The spring latch 15 can positively comprise an actuation stem 17 arranged inside the box-like body 2. The actuation stem 17 will in such case be provided with a shoulder 18: the end 19 of the actuation lever 16 will be leaning on the shoulder 18 so that a translation of the actuation rod 3, and of the projection 14 which is integral with it, will cause the forcing of the projection 14 on an edge of the lever 16, with consequent rotation thereof with respect to the plug 6. Such rotation will imply the displacement of the end 19 of the lever 16, with consequent entrainment of the shoulder 18 of the stem 17 and therefore of the spring latch 15.

It should furthermore be noted that the rod 3 comprises a third slot 20, parallel to the first slot 5, which is designed to slideably accommodate a second plug 21 which is integral with an inner wall of the box-like body 2.

The first slot 5 and the third slot 20, in coordination with the first plug 6 and the second plug 21, define the path and the trajectory of translation of the rod 3 within the box-like body 2.

It should furthermore be noted that, interposed between the rocker arm 11 and the plug 6 which is integral with the inner wall of the box-like body 2, there is advantageously a spring (with angular action) for the forced rotation of the rocker arm 11 in the configuration of abutment of its contoured end tab 12 on the niche 13 of the sliding latch 4.

In this manner, the forcing exerted by the spring ensures that the more secure condition is maintained against any attempts at tampering, seeing that it keeps the tab 2 in abutment on the niche 13 and therefore it blocks the rotations of the sliding latch 4.

It should be noted that according to a particularly functional embodiment, the sliding latch 4 can advantageously be substantially C- shaped: at an initial portion 22 there is the hole for accommodating the peg 8 for pivoting to the wall of the box-like body 2, and on the outer rim of an intermediate portion 23 thereof there is the niche 13, while an end portion 24 is completely protruding from the box-like body 2 in the closed configuration. Furthermore it should be noted that the peg 8 for pivoting the at least one sliding latch 4 is integral with the sliding latch 4 and coupled, with a single degree of freedom of rotation about its own axis, to a wall of the box like body 2.

In the configuration of complete retraction of the sliding latch 4, the eccentric projection 9 of the peg 8 is accommodated in the straight section of the second slot 7 (therefore outside the recess 10) and substantially aligned with said slot, thus preventing rotations of the sliding latch 4.

In fact any rotation of the sliding latch 4 is prevented by dint of the fact that this would correspond to an equal rotation of the projection 9, which however, being inside the straight section of the second slot 7, cannot change its orientation (as it is locked within that slot 7).

Rotations of the sliding latch 4 will be allowed only when the projection 9 is aligned with the recess 10, a configuration in which it will be able to modify its orientation following a rotation of the sliding latch 4 with which it is integral.

The actuation rod 3 can advantageously comprise at least one element 25 for connecting to at least one adapted transmission slider which is coupled, directly or indirectly, to a main lock.

Through the transmission rods, the assembly 1 can therefore be positively moved.

It should be noted that an additional function carried out by the projection 14 is the facilitation of the egress of the sliding latch 4 (when it is in the completely retracted configuration).

In particular, with reference to the embodiment shown by way of example in the accompanying figures, the translation of the actuation rod 3 downward, when the sliding latch 4 is in the completely retracted configuration, causes a lowering of the projection 14 which will be forced on the outer rim of the intermediate portion 23 of the sliding latch 4 (at the other end of such intermediate portion 23 with respect to the niche 13). The thrust exerted by the projection 14 on the rim of the intermediate portion (which will have an adapted curvilinear progression so as to separate the force exerted by the projection into a component perpendicular to the rim and a component tangential to it) will result in the application of a moment on the sliding latch 4, which will be induced to rotate with respect to the peg 8 in the direction of egress of the sliding latch 4 from the box-like body 2. This first rotation of the sliding latch 4 induced by the projection 14 will also cause a first rotation of the eccentric projection 9 until its partial ingress into the recess 10 of the second slot 7. The subsequent descent of the actuation rod 3 will imply a further rotation of the sliding latch 4 until it reaches the extracted configuration, by virtue of the rotation imposed on the sliding latch by the eccentric projection 9 which will be oriented by the recess 10.

Advantageously the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, by providing a peripheral assembly 1 for multipoint locks that prevents intrusion actions intended to force the counter-rotation of the hookshaped sliding latch 4 for the corresponding retraction.

In fact, in the closed configuration (sliding latch 4 extracted), the rocker arm 11 is kept elastically in conditions of its forcing its head 12 into the niche 13 of the sliding latch 4, immobilizing the latter.

Conveniently the assembly 1 according to the invention ensures maximum security against intrusion actions to force the door leaf: this is by virtue of the hook shape structure of the sliding latch 4 which complicates its extraction from the seat of the jamb if an attempt is made to force the door leaf to open.

Conveniently the assembly 1 according to the invention is constituted by a reduced number of simple components that are easy to assemble.

Positively the present invention makes it possible to provide a peripheral assembly 1 for multipoint locks that is easily and practically implemented and which is low cost: such characteristics make the assembly 1 according to the invention an innovation that is certain to be safe in use.

The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs.