The invention is particularly useful for locking hinged wings of gates and therefore will be described in conjunctions with such application although, as will be explained, is by no means limited thereto.

Conventional gate locks are in the form of a pair of protective matching shells which are welded to opposite edges of the door wings the two abut one against the other forming a protective hasp into which the two legs of an ordinary padlock shackle can be inserted (from above). The padlock body is brought from below and locked to the shackle.

These devices suffers a main disadvantage due to the fact that matching or assembly is required of at least two separate parts, namely the shackle on the one hand, and the lock body on the other hand; and then, the parts must be separately stored for the following use.

From another, human engineering aspect, this locking method is cumbersome, inconvenient and time consuming apart from the chance that the padlock body may drop on the foot of the user and cause him injury.

Furthermore, the welding method of the two protective shells is unsafe, and liable to be tempered with or forced away by sawing or flame- cutting tools.

Thus it is a general object of the invention to provide a lock of the kind referred to above which is more simple in installation and in use, with lesser number of separable parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus provided according to the invention is a locking device, particularly for locking to each other wings of gates, sliding doors and the like.

First and second anchor members, each with a projecting member, are respectively mounted to the wings so that in the closed position thereof the members are located side by side. At least one of the projecting members is formed with a dead-bolt receiving cavity. A lock body is provided, having a side portion formed with respective recesses configured and located so as to fit over both the

projecting members. The lock body is equipped with a key-operated locking mechanism comprising at least one dead-bolt adapted to become inserted into the dead-bolt receiving cavity of the respective anchor member thereby preventing the disengagement of the lock body from both enchore members.

It is preferable, according to a first embodiment that the projections are in the form of ribs of a varying width seen in a direction perpendicular to the plane of their respective wing.

According to a second embodiment, the projections are in the form of elongated cylindrical bolt pins extending perpendicularly to the planes of their respective wings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS These and additional features of construction and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in the light of the ensuing description of several preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein : Fig. 1 is general, schematic, perspective view of a locking device according to a first preferred

embodiment of the invention, in its locked position ; Fig. 2 illustrates the first stage of unlocking of the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 illustrates the opening of the door wings after unlocking ; Fig. 4 is a fragmental elevation of the lock body of Fig. l ; Fig. 5 is a top view of the lock body of Fig. 4 ; Fig. 6a is a section taken along line 6a-6a of Fig. 4 ; Fig. 6b shows the device of Fig. 6a in the locking position of its dead-bolt ; Fig. 7a is a section along line 7a-7a of Fig.

4 ; Fig. 7b illustrates the locking position of the device of Fig. 7a ; Fig. 8a illustrates a further improvement of the locking device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 8b shows the lock of Fig. 8a in its unlocked position ;

Figs. 9-12 illustrate several modified embodiments of the locking device according to the teachings of the present invention ; Fig. 13 is a still further modified embodiment of the invention suitable for locking of a sliding door or window against a wall or the like stationary object.

Fig. 14a is a still further modified embodiment a locking device, employing pin-shaped bolts instead of elongated ribs ; Fig. 14b shows the lock body engaging the bolts of Fig. 14a ; Fig. 15 shows the locking device of Fig. 14b in the unlocked state ; Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the lock body of Fig. 14b ; Fig. 17 is a sectional view showing the locking device in an unlocked position ; Fig. 18 shows the device of Fig. 17 in the locked position ; Figs. 19arc illustrate the use of a modified locking mechanism ;

Fig. 20 is another modification of the locking mechanism, co-operating with two pairs of locking bolts ; Fig. 21a is a top view of an operator disc used in the mechanism of Fig. 20 ; Fig. 21b is a section along line 21b-21b of Fig. 21a ; Fig. 21c is a section along line 21c-21c of Fig. 21a ; Figs. 22a-22d illustrate a modified embodiment ofthe locking mechanism useful in the device of Fig. 16 ; and Fig. 23 is a modified version of the lock of Fig. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Figs 1-3 there are shown a pair of gate wings 10 and 12 hinged to respective gate jumbs 10a and 12a. The wings 10 and 12 are locked one against the other by locking device generally denoted 14.

The locking device 14 essentially comprises three elements : a first anchor member generally designated 16 ; a second anchor member 18 ; and the lock body 20.

The anchor member 16 (see Fig. 2) comprises a base plate 16a fastened to door wing 10, e. g. by a pair of bolts 16b and 16c. The member 16 further comprises a projecting rib, generally denoted 16d which, as will be explained below, may be of various shapes and configurations.

In the present example the rib 16d has a stem rib portion 16e and a circular head portion 16f with a dead-bolt receiving cavity 16g.

Likewise, anchor member 18, attached to door wing 12, comprises the corresponding elements denoted 18a-18g. However, the head portion 18f is closer to the plate portion 18a, so that the counter part of the rib stem (corresponding to 16e) is non-existent in this example.

The plates 16a and 18a may be provided with intermatching projections 16h and 18h fitting one into a complementary notch formed in the other (16k ; 18k), to achieve lateral alignment and stabilization of the two members (and of the door wings proper).

The lock body 20 is generally block shaped, the parts and components incorporated therein will be described later. At this stage it will suffice to note (see Fig. 2) that the sidewall of block 20 is formed witk air of profile slots 20a and 20b of

shapes and dimensions complementary (with some freedom) to the ribs 16d and 18d associated with the members 16 and 18.

Locking mechanism generally denoted 22 is provided for effecting the locking of the block to one or both of the ribs 16d, 18d (see below). When unlocked, the lock body 14 can be simply removed by sliding upwards or downwards until separated and released from the grip of the respective ribs. The gate is than openable as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The locking of the gate is performed of course in the opposite order of operations.

Proceeding now to the particulars of the locking mechanism within the block 20, it should be emphasized that this is but one of many possible designs. Hence, as shown in Fig. 4, there is provided a key-operated locking mechanism, denoted 24, e. g. of the cylinder-lock type, held within the block 20 by fixing means such as set-screw or pin 26. This will enable easy replacement of the cylinder, if required, and also facilitate the supply of"key-alike"series of devices at no extra effort.

The rotor of the cylinder locking device (not shown) is extended by spindle 28 down to the other side of the block. A first gear pinion 30 is mounted,

being engaged with a first, toothed rack operated dead-bolt 32. The dead-bolt 32 is so located that upon rotation of the pinion 30 it will become displaced into the slot 20b, (and thus into the dead- bolt slot 18g) ; likewise, a second gear 36 and a second rack 38 may be included for locking the rib 16d accommodated in the slot 20a, as shown in Figs.

7a and 7b.

It should however be noted that a single dead- bolt displacing arrangement will suffice for the operation of the locking device.

It will be further noted that access to the mounting bolts 16b, 16c and 18b, 18c is effectively prevented in the locked position of the device - unlike the conventional devices where the welding around the protective shells is always exposed and liable to forceful burglary.

The modification of Figs. 8a and 8b resides in that in order to avoid the complete separation of the lock body 20, the rib head portion 16f is extended downwards beyond the bottom surface of the housing 20. The extended portion comprises a shoulder 161.

Further, a slot 16j is made all along the rib head portion 16f, cooperating with a set screw 40. In this arrangement, the lock body 20, when released from

engagement with both ribs 16d and 18d, may slide down and rotate sidewise while being held by the shoulder 161 (against the screw 40) so that the opening of the door wings (as described in Fig. 3) is not interfered, and the lock body is kept safe and not liable to become lost.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that each of the locking ribs and complementary slots may lend itself to a great variety of configurations and geometrical shapes.

Hence, in the example of Fig. 9, simple rectangular or somewhat conical ribs 116 and 118 are used. In that case, two dead-bolts 132,138 are required, each engaging its respective rib, as clearly shown.

In Fig. 10 rib 216 is planner, while rib 218 has an undercut surface 218k, which dictates a sliding movement mounting of the housing 220. One locking bolt 238 is provided, associated with rib 216.

The same applies to the configuration of Fig.

11 where rib 318 is arcuate and rib 316 is conical or wedgelike.

In Fig. 12 both ribs 416 and 418 are wedge- shaped, having their narrow side merging from the

respective plates 410 and 412 (a dove-tail engagement).

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 13 applicable for locking a sliding door denoted 50 against wall 52 or any other stationary object. In more detail, and following the same design principles, mounting plate 54 with circular rib 56 is mounted to the wall 52, and plate 58 with similar rib 60 is mounted to the outer face edge of the sliding door 50. The lock body 62 has slots 62a and 62b conforming (with some freedom) to projections 56 and 60 with at least one displaceable dead-bolt 64 movable by pinion 66 of cylinder or other locking mechanism. The locking and unlocking of the lock body 62 is performed in a similar manner as described above.

Figs. 14-23 generally pertain to a diversified form of the present invention, wherein the common denominator resides in that the protruding members are pin-like bolts -- rather than elongated ribs -- which are interlocked not by sliding of the lock body, but in a head-on fashion (as already mentioned in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 9 above).

As already seen in Fig. 14a, gate wings 510, 512 (sliding or hinged -- as the case may be) are

again provided with anchor members 516,518 in the form of base plates 516a, 518a with projecting pins 516d, 518d and dead-bolt cavities 516g and 518g.

A cylindrical recess 5161 is also proposed -- similar in function to that described and shown in Fig. 8a.

The pins are preferably somewhat loosely held on their base plates, to facilitate smooth insertion into the matching bores of the lock body 520 (see below).

The locking and unlocking of the device -- including the option to leave the lock body 520 arrested to one of the bolts (516d) -- is self- explanatory with regard to Figs. 14b and 15 in general and Figs. 16-18 in particular. Thus, there is proposed in the last mentioned example a simple rotary cylinder-type locking mechanism 570 installed in the lock body 520. An elliptic operator member 572 is coupled to the rotor, designed to push away from each other a pair of steel balls 574,576 into the recesses 516d, 518d, respectively (Fig. 18).

It is sometimes advisable to have the key-hole (622 in Fig. 19a) be located at aside wall of the lock body -- rendering same more burglary-safe (by boring through the cylinder-pin assembly).

Hence, the lock body 620 of Figs. 19arc satisfy this condition, by employing a tapered disc 680.

The locking and unlocking states are thus represented in Figs. 19b and 19c, respectively.

Yet, another possibility, of using four lock bolts rather than only two, is exemplified in Figs.

20,21 with respect to lock body 720.

The disc 780 is of composite profile, as clearly seen in Figs. 21a-21c, namely having alternately varying widths regarding its main axises (sections 21b-21b and 21c-21c).

The lock body 820 of Figs. 22a-22d has the key- hole 822 installed at its front wall. To enable that - - rotor 870 is coupled via an eccenter pin 890 and slot 892 to a reciprocable plate 894 having at least one bolt releasing disperation 894b ; the bolt 816 is formed with a transverse slot 894a and the bolt 818 - - with slot 894c. The locked and unlocked states are illustrated in Figs. 22b and 22d, respectively.

The embodiment of Fig. 23 is modified only in that the locking bolts 916 and 918 are positioned at different, opposite sides of the reciprocable plate 994, i. e., in separate, distanced planes.

It has thus been established that the locking device featuring the characteristics of the presenting better security properties than the conventional devices for parallel uses.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications may be applied to the invention as hereinbefore exemplified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in and by appended claims.