DESCRIPTION

This invention concerns safety locks, particularly but not exclusively for toilet lid. Most toilets have a seat and a lid both of which are pivotally mounted usually on a single rod or the like, so that they can be raised out of the way when not required. There is, however, a danger associated with such seats and lids because they can often easily be knocked or mishandled so that they can fall and hurt a toilet user especially a small child.

Another problem associated with toilets is that young children are inclined to drop items into the bowl, which can become blocked or the item can be damaged. Furthermore, there are other items such as cupboards and trunks that could benefit from a safety lock that can prevent children from opening them but be relatively easily opened by an adult.

U.S. Patent No. 4,651,358 describes a toilet seat lid having an apparatus for locking the lid comprising a strut which holds the seat lid down, the strut extending between the seat lid and the toilet flush tank. The apparatus is unsightly and requires both hands to operate.

U.S. Patent No. 4,736,472 describes a toilet seat latch which has to be fitted separately to a toilet pan and so is obtrusive and unsightly. Furthermore, two actions are required on the latch before the seat can be raised.

U.S. Patent No. 5,003,641 also describes a latch for a toilet lid that requires two actions to be carried out before the lid can be raised.

U.S. Patent Nos. 5,267,357 and 5,347,663 describe releasable toilet lid and seat locking apparatus requiring sideways operations of an elongate rod to release the toilet lid. Such apparatus may be difficult to operate for some, especially the elderly or infirm and operation may be hampered by proximity of other facilities alongside the toilet.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved safety lock suitable for use with toilet lids and/or seats.

According to this invention there is provided a safety lock apparatus for releasably locking a pivotable item in one position comprising a latch means for engaging the item or a part associated therewith for preventing pivoting movement thereof about a pivot bar and means for releasing said latch means by exertion of pressure thereon or a part associated therewith.

The latch means may be one or more members, such

as spigots, movable into and out of the item or a part associated therewith, especially a hole or bore therein. The or each member is preferably spring-biased into a latching position. Spring-biasing is preferably provided by a leaf spring, whereby pressure thereon moves the member from a latching position.

In a preferred embodiment a spigot is provided at each end of a spring member, each spigot extending through a fixed part to the item or a part associated therewith to be latched, whereby downward pressure on the spring member urges the spigots outwards to release the item or a part associated therewith.

The safety lock mechanism of the invention may be used in a variety of applications. Of particular interest is its application to toilet lids and for seats. Preferably the safety lock mechanism will be associated with a pivot bar of the lid or seat. Arms extending from the lid or the seat are generally pivotally mounted on the pivot bar and the safety lock mechansim may be arranged to prevent said pivoting movement. The latch members or spigots are preferably biased to engage said arms to prevent their pivoting movement.

The spring member is preferably arranged to cover the pivot bar, so that downward pressure thereon is possible to cause movement of the latch members or

spigots out of their latching position.

The lid and seat may be mounted on the same pivot bar. Alternatively, the seat may be pivotally connected to the lid. In the latter case, of course, the seat may not be pivotted until the lid has been released and pivotted upwards.

The apparatus of the invention preferably includes alarm means for indicating an attempt to pivot the locked item, such as to raise a toilet lid or seat, without operation of the release means. The alarm means preferably give out an audible alarm signal.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a toilet fitted with a safety lock mechanism of the invention;

Figure 2 shows the toilet lid of Figure l locked shut;

Figure 3 shows the toilet lid of Figure 1 with the lid unlocked; and

Figure 4 shows the toilet lid of Figure 1 with the lid raised.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a toilet

10 has a pan 12 on a pedestal 14. An outlet 16 with an S-bend therein extends from the rear of the pan 12. A water tank 18 is arranged above and rearwards of the

pan 12 in order to discharge flushing water into the pan through a pipe (not shown). The flow of flushing water; is controlled by a lever operated float valve within the tank 18. Hingedly mounted rearward of the pan 12 are a seat 20 and a lid 22. The seat is hingedly mounted to the underside of the lid and the lid is pivotally mounted on a spindle 24 mounted between end supports 26. The lid 22 is associated with a releasable safety lock mechanism for locking the lid in a down or closed position. The mechanism is hidden under a cover 23 as shown in Figure 1 but the cover has been omitted from the other drawings. The cover 23 is arranged to pivot rearwards with the mechanism. The mechanism includes two arms 28 which at one end are secured to the lid 22 and at the other end have formations 30 with through holes 32 so that they fit onto and are pivotable about the spindle 24.

Fixed onto the spindle 24 towards opposite ends thereof, ie. outside of the formations 30 are blocks 34. Each block 34 has a through hole 36 Extending through each hole 36 is a spigot 38 which at one end is connected to a spring member 40, whilst its other end extends into a hole 42 in the formation 30 when the lid is down, ie. covering the pan. Additional springs (not shown) may be provided to bas the spigots further towards their respective holes 42.

The spring member 40 has a central pressure plate 44 from opposite ends of which extend spring arms 46 to which the spigots 38 are each connected. The spring member 40 urges the spigots towards each other and so to remain in the holes 42 of formations 30. Thus, the lid cannot be pivoted upwards.

By pressing the plate 44, the angle of each spring arm is altered so that they urge the spigots outwards to release them from the holes 42. Then the lid can be pivotted upwards, so that the toilet can be used. To assist location of the spigot ends relative to the formations 40, each has a channel track 48 extending from its hole 42 and following an arcuate path corresponding to that traced by the end of spigot relative to its adjacent formation 30. As the lid is raised, the end of each spigot will be retained in and hence follow its own track 48. Thus, when the lid is lowered, the track 48 will help to direct a spigot to its locking hole 42. In operation, when the toilet lid is closed, the spigots 38 snap into their respective holes 42, thereby preventing the lid from being raised. To raise the lid, downwards pressure is applied to the spring plate 44 to urge the spigots 38 clear of their respective holes 42. Then the lid can be raised. The spring member 40 and any additional spring-biasing of the spigots may be

chosen to ensure that the pressure required to release the lid is greater than that which can be expected by a young child.

The safety lock mechanism may also be provided with an alarm device that emits an alarm signal when being unlocked.

Whilst the invention has been described specifically in relation to toilets, it will be appreciated that the safety lock mechanism may be used in other situations where access or entry is to be denied to young children.