The present invention relates to a soundproof lock, in particular, the present invention includes the locks proper and also the peripheral assemblies of multipoint locks (which are connected to the lock proper by way of transmission elements).

Peripheral assemblies are mechanisms through which the lock can ensure the locking of the door or window on which it is installed, in areas away from said lock (by way of adapted transmission elements interposed between the lock and said assembly).

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 door or window 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 security introduced by the adoption of peripheral assemblies can optionally be increased by having rotating (or hook-shaped) sliding latches which make it possible to link the lock or the peripheral assembly to the jamb (or to the secondary door leaf), thus preventing any attempt at forcing that requires their extraction (simply by virtue of a rotation thereof, or combined rotation and translation thereof, it is possible to uncouple the sliding latch, arranged in the closed configuration, from the respective seat).

This type of locks and peripheral assemblies has a drawback, compared to locks with a translating sliding latch, which is associated with increased noise. The presence of metallic components that can strike each other, during operation, causes acoustic emissions that can be bothersome and in any case the source of annoyance.

In particular in apartment blocks, in hotels and, in general, in buildings where there are numerous mutually separate property units it is possible that the noise produced by the various locks of one or more units will annoy people who are in the contiguous property units.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing a security soundproof lock that enables a stable locking of the door or window in which it is installed.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a soundproof lock that minimizes the noise produced during the extraction and retraction of the sliding latch and/or of the spring latch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproof lock of the multipoint type, i.e. with high security against forcing, the operation of which has an acoustic impact that is substantially negligible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a soundproof lock that is low cost, easily and practically implemented, and safely applied.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a soundproof lock of the type that comprises a box-like body for accommodating at least one actuation element 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 element 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 element comprises at least one contoured second slot for the slideable accommodation of a peg for pivoting said at least one sliding latch, said sliding latch, at said peg, being provided with at least one 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 an inner wall of said boxlike body, comprises an end tab which is contoured and adapted to abut on a corner of the edge of said sliding latch, the abutment of said tab on said corner blocking the rotation of said sliding latch,

- a seat of the lateral edge of said element is aligned with a protruding tooth of said at least one rocker arm, a translation of said element causing the abutment of said tooth against said seat, with forcing of the rotation of said rocker arm and distancing of said end tab from said corner of said sliding latch,

- an element made of deformable material is interposed between the wall of said box-like body, on which said sliding latch abuts with a face thereof in the configuration of total extraction, and said face, for damping the impact between such components during the extraction of the sliding latch.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the soundproof lock 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 perspective view of a soundproof lock according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lock of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the lock of Figure 1 with the sliding latch and the spring latch withdrawn;

Figure 4 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the lock of Figure 1 with the sliding latch withdrawn and the spring latch extracted;

Figure 5 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the lock of Figure 1 with the sliding latch retracted and the spring latch pushed inside the jamb, when being closed;

Figure 6 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the lock of Figure 1 with the sliding latch and the spring latch retracted.

With particular reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a soundproof lock according to the invention.

The lock 1 comprises a box-like body 2 for accommodating at least one actuation element 3 (shaped substantially like a contoured plate) for at least one sliding latch 4 which is pivoted on an inner wall of the box-like body 2.

The sliding latch 4 can move between an extracted configuration and a retracted configuration with respect to the box-like body 2; such movements occur as a result of corresponding translations of the element 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 element 3 comprises at least one contoured second slot 7 for the slideable accommodation of a peg 8 for pivoting the at least one sliding latch 4.

The sliding latch 4, at the peg 8, is provided with at least one 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 1 1 , which is pivoted on an inner wall of the box-like body 2, comprises an end tab 12 which is contoured and adapted to abut against a comer 13 of the edge of the sliding latch 4; when such tab 12 abuts against the corner 13 (in the configuration in which the sliding latch 4 is extracted from the box-like body 2) it blocks the rotation of the sliding latch 4, thus preventing the forced retraction that could be the consequence of a forced entry. A seat 14 of the lateral edge of the element 3 is aligned with a protruding tooth 15 of the at least one rocker arm 11. A translation of the element 3 causes the abutment of the tooth 15 on the seat 14, with forcing of the rotation of the rocker arm 1 1 and distancing of its end tab 12 from the comer 13 of the sliding latch 4, releasing it and so allowing the optional subsequent retraction thereof.

It should further be noted that an element made of deformable material 18 is interposed between the wall 16 of the box-like body 2, on which the sliding latch 4 abuts with a face 17 thereof when it is in the configuration of total extraction, and that face 17, for damping the impact between those components during the extraction of the sliding latch 4.

Such damping appreciably reduces the noise of the lock 1 with respect to equivalent traditional locks.

The element made of deformable material 18 can be made of polymeric material, elastomeric material, natural rubber, elastomer, specific metallic alloys, materials of natural origin, and/or combinations thereof.

The lock 1 comprises a spring latch 19 which is kept in a configuration at least partially protruding from the box-like body 2 by respective elastic means 21 which are arranged downstream of a respective abutment shoulder 20 which is connected to the spring latch 19 proper by way of a respective rod.

The abutment tooth 15 of the rocker arm 1 1, during a translation of the element 3, abuts on the seat 14 with consequent rotation of the rocker arm 11 and placing of an additional tab 1 1a thereof against the abutment shoulder 20.

A subsequent rotation of the rocker arm 1 1 thus causes the retraction of the spring latch 19 within the box-like body 2.

A plug made of deformable material 23 is interposed between the abutment shoulder 20 of the spring latch 19 and a respective rib 22 inside the box-like body 2 for damping the impact between such components during the extraction of the spring latch 19.

The plug made of deformable material 23 can be made of polymeric material, elastomeric material, natural rubber, elastomer, specific metallic alloys, materials of natural origin, and/or combinations thereof.

With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, the eccentric projections 9 are advantageously two in number: a first projection 9a is accommodatable, in the configuration of total extraction of the sliding latch 4, in a respective recess 10 of the second slot 7; a second projection 9b, arranged substantially on the other side from the first projection 9a with respect to the peg 8, is accommodatable, in the configuration of complete retraction of the sliding latch 4, in a respective recess 24 of the second slot 7.

With particular reference to the embodiment described previously, the eccentric projection 9a will be substantially wedge-shaped; the recess 10 of the second slot 7 will therefore have a complementary shape and a greater width with respect to the projection 9a, for its accommodation with play.

It should further be noted that the element 3 can profitably comprise a third slot 25, parallel to the first slot 5; such third slot 25 is conveniently designed to slideably accommodate a second plug 26 which is integral with the rib 22 inside the box-like body 2.

Such specific embodiment ensures that the first slot 5 and the third slot 25, in combination with the respective first plug 6 and second plug 26, define the stroke and the trajectory of translation of the element 3 inside the box-like body 2. The presence of two parallel and staggered slots (the first slot 5 and the third slot 25) will ensure that the motion of the element 3 can only be one of translation along a direction parallel to that of the slots 5 and 25, according to a maximum stroke that corresponds to the length of the shorter of the two slots 5 and 25.

With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, between the rocker arm 1 1 and the box-like body 2 a spring 27 (with twisting action) can advantageously be interposed for the forced rotation of the rocker arm 11 in a configuration in which its tab 12 abuts against the corner 13 of the sliding latch 4.

It should further be noted that the sliding latch 4 is positively substantially C-shaped: at an initial portion 28 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 29 thereof there is the corner 13, while an end portion 30 is what completely protrudes from the box-like body 2 in the closed configuration.

It should further be noted that the peg 8 to which the at least one sliding latch 4 is pivoted is integral with the sliding latch 4 and coupled, with a single degree of freedom of rotation about its own axis, to a wall (the rear one, with particular reference to the accompanying figures) of the box-like body 2.

In order to ensure the necessary stability of both of the extreme configurations related to the position of the sliding latch 4, when it is in the configuration of complete retraction, inside the box-like body 2, the respective eccentric projection 9b will be advantageously accommodated in the recess 24 of the second slot 7 (the recess 24 defined on the bottom of said slot 7), thus preventing rotations of the sliding latch 4.

Finally it should be noted that the actuation element 3 can positively comprise at least one element 31 for connecting to at least one adapted transmission slider which is coupled, directly or indirectly, to an additional component such as an additional lock, a peripheral locking assembly and the like. This characteristic makes it possible to also integrate the lock 1 according to the invention in sets of locks and peripheral assemblies, which constitute multipoint locks (designed to increase security against forced entry).

Advantageously the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, by providing a security soundproof lock 1 that enables a stable locking of the door or window in which it is installed.

Positively the soundproof lock 1 according to the invention minimizes the noise produced during the extraction and retraction of the sliding latch 4 and/or of the spring latch 19.

Advantageously the soundproof lock 1 can also be multipoint, therefore offering high security against forced entry, while keeping an operation with an acoustic impact that is substantially negligible.

Positively the soundproof lock 1 according to the invention is easily and practically implemented and is low cost: such characteristics make the lock 1 according to the invention an innovation that is 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.