Description of the background art So-called padlock fittings are used to enable a door, gate or the like to be locked with the aid of a padlock. One type of padlock fitting includes a handle which is coupled to a lock bolt and which is prevented from rotating by a padlock shackle. With this type of padlock fitting, the padlock shackle extends through a hole in the thumb turn and also through a cramp or the like fastened to the door, gate etc.. This prevents rotation of the thumb turn and a bolt coupled to the thumb turn blocks opening of the door.

This type of padlock fitting can be forced relatively easily by an unauthorised person. The padlock is readily accessible and can be worked on with the aid of an appropriate tool, such as bolt clippers, heavy hammers or the like. The cramp anchored to the door can be cut away, therewith enabling the padlock to be rotated together with the thumb turn and therewith allow the door to be opened.

Thus, one drawback with many known padlock fittings is that they can readily be manipulated or destroyed with the aid of a suitable tool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a padlock fitting of the kind defined in the introduction which will fulfil high security demands while keeping the number of components to a minimum.

The invention is based on the insight of the possibility of using a filling element or blocking element that makes manipulation of a padlock fastened to the padlock fitting difficult to achieve, while holding together the components of the padlock fitting so as to render forcing of the lock difficult with the aid of a tool.

The present invention thus provides a padlock fitting as defined in the accompanying claim 1.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing includes a housing body and a U- shaped part that has a first and a second leg, wherein the first leg is fastened to the housing body and wherein the housing body, the first leg, the second leg and the filling element include respectively a co-axial hole through which the thumb-turn shaft is rotatably mounted. This provides a compact and secure construction consisting solely of a few components: housing, thumb turn with associated bolt, and filling element.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the depending claims.

The inventive padlock fitting functions to provide an arrangement that is very secure with regard to manipulation and forcing of the lock, while comprising relatively few components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the components of the inventive padlock fitting ; fig. 2 is a side view of a padlock fitting according to the invention in the absence of a padlock attached to said fitting; fig. 3 is a side view of a padlock fitting according to the invention, showing a padlock attached to said fitting ;

fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the padlock fitting of figure 3, taken on the line IV-IV ; fig. 5 shows the inventive padlock fitting from beneath; fig. 6 is a perspective view of a thumb turn included in the inventive padlock fitting; and figures 7a and 7b are respective perspective views of a filling or blocking element included in the inventive padlock fitting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a padlock fitting according to the invention will now be described. Fig. 1 is an exploded view illustrating in perspective the various components of a padlock fitting according to the invention. The padlock fitting is referenced generally 1 and includes a housing 10 which is intended to be anchored to a door or the like (not shown) by means of a housing nut 11 which is screwed onto the inner end-part of the housing 10. The housing includes a body 12 which has a non-round cross-sectional shape such as to prevent rotation of the body relative to the door. It will be understood that the length of the housing can be adapted to the thickness of the door concerned.

The housing also includes a U-shaped part 13 whose one leg 13 a is fastened to the housing body 12. Extending through the housing body 12 and the leg fastened to said body is a first opening 14a, while a second opening 14b which is co-axial with the first opening extends through the other leg 13b. These openings accommodate the shaft 21 of a thumb turn 20 which extends from the outside to the inside of the door.

A bolt 25 is fastened to the outer end of the shaft by means of a bolt nut 26. The bolt is thus connected mechanically to the thumb turn and is movable between a locking position, in which the door is locked, and a release position in which the door is open.

The thumb turn also includes a handle 22 which is turned in order to move the bolt 25 between its locking and release positions. As seen in fig. 6, the handle includes a lower outwardly projecting part 23 and an upper outwardly projecting part 24. The lower outwardly projecting part includes two tongues 23a, 23b which function to hold a padlock

in place, said padlock being secured around said lower part 23. These tongues are shown clearly in fig. 5. The upper, outwardly projecting part includes a through-passing hole 24a whose function will be explained in detail hereinafter. Rotation of the thumb turn is restricted to about 90 degrees, by a shoulder 15 on the first leg 13a.

The padlock fitting 1 also includes a filling or blocking element 30, which is shown in detail in fig. 7a and 7b. The filling element may be made of steel or plastic for instance and is adapted for reciprocating movement between the two legs 13a, 13b of the U-shaped part 13, between a release position, see fig. 2, and a blocking position, see fig. 3. To this end, the side of the filling element 30 is provided on the side facing towards said other leg 13b with a groove 31 in which the leg 13b runs. The filling element is prevented from moving laterally in this way. The filling element also includes a through-passing elongate hole 32 through which the shaft 21 of the thumb turn extends. Because the thumb-turn shaft extends through the filling element, the filling element is anchored in the shank of the padlock, therewith making manipulation of the padlock still more difficult to achieve.

The upper part of the filling or blocking element includes a circular knob or projection 33 which extends through the hole 24a in the upper, outwardly projecting part 24 of the handle 22 when the filling element is located in an upper end position; see fig. 3. Because the filling element is anchored in the housing 10, more specifically in the U-shaped part 13, the knob 33 on the filling element prevents relative rotation between the housing 10 and the thumb turn 20 when the knob extends through the opening in said handle.

As before mentioned, the lower, outwardly projecting part 23 of the handle 22 is intended to hold the shank of a padlock in place. This is shown in figure 29 which is a side view of the padlock fitting 1 in an assembled and locked state. A padlock 40, shown in broken lines, includes a padlock housing 41 and a curved shank 42. The shank extends around both the lower part of the U-shaped part 13 and the lower outwardly projecting part 23 of the handle. The tongues 23a, 23b assist in holding the padlock in place.

In order to be able to insert the shank 42 to the position shown in fig. 3, it is necessary to move the filling element from the lower end position shown in fig. 2. This movement is made possible by the bevelled surfaces 38a, 38b on the lower surface of the filling element.

The central portion of the lower surface of the filling element is concave, so as to conform

to the radius of curvature of the shank 42. The lower inner surface of the U-shaped part 32 is correspondingly convex. With the shank inserted, there is very little clearance for the filling element and at least a sufficiently small clearance to allow the knob 33 to run through the opening 24a in the handle.

The locking procedure with regard to the padlock fitting is as follows: The thumb turn 20 is turned to an opening position, i. e. to a position in which the handle 22 is horizontal. The door is then closed and the thumb turn is turned to the position shown in fig. 4 for instance, wherewith the bolt 22 engages a striking plate or the like and therewith prevents the door from being opened. The shank of the padlock is then inserted between the U-shaped part 13 and the filling element 30 and the filling element is then moved upwards so that the knob engages the hole 24a in the handle. The padlock is then locked.

In this state of the lock, opening of the lock, i. e. relative rotation between the housing 10 and the thumb turn 20, is prevented, partly by the padlock extending the around the U- shaped part 13 and the handle 22, and partly by the knob 33 on the filling element engaging in the hole in the thumb turn. This provides double locking of rotation of the thumb turn. Further more, the shank is hidden largely by the filling element and the U- shaped part, therewith making forcing of the actual padlock more difficult to achieve.

The reverse procedure applies when releasing the lock. The padlock 40 is unlocked and removed. In this regard, the force of gravity ensures that the filling element 30 will move down to its release position ; see fig. 2. The thumb turn can then be rotated to its lock release position, whereafter the door can be opened.

Although a preferred embodiment of a padlock fitting according to the invention has been described, the person skilled in this particular technical field will realise that this embodiment can be varied and modified within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Thus, it will understood that the precise form of the components comprising the inventive padlock fitting can be varied.

Although a padlock of a specific form has been described as the device that holds the thumb turn and the housing together, it will be understood that a lock of some other form may be used as an alternative. In this regard, it is appropriate for the design of the padlock

fitting to be adapted to the type of lock concerned. It will also be understood that the padlock can be replaced with another type of blocking device, such as a chain that extends through the fitting through which the shank of the described and illustrated embodiment runs.

The concept of the invention can also be applied to fittings used for plugging or sealing purposes. In this case, the illustrated and described padlock is replaced with a plugging or sealing means.