The present invention relates to a safety lock with multiple operation with emergency manual intervention facility.

More particularly, the present invention relates ^" to a safety lock with multiple operation which may easily be adapted to various installation situations and/or modes of use without the necessity of making difficult modifications or subdivisions in specialised models, thus reducing the costs of stocks and storage and consequently the cost of the finished product.

A lock of this type was described in Italian patent No. 1.224.894 in the name of the same applicant, the text of which is to be considered as incorporated in the present description in the form of a reference.

The object of the present invention is to provide a lock of the type mentioned which permits manual intervention in emergency situations and which encloses in a single structure a multiplicity of functions and options which may if necessary be disabled and/or modified without the necessity of using different versions of the same basic structure, thus reducing the costs of the finished product as a result of the reduction of storage costs.

According to the present invention, a safety lock subdivided into a multiplicity of functional elements enclosed in a single structure is provided, and comprises: a first area for manual operations acting on the latch and on the safety bolts of the lock, and if necessary, in a disabled mode, on the safety bolts alone; a second area for control and operation of the safety bolts; a third area for operation of the safety bolts by means of a manual key; a fourth area for operation of the safety bolts by means of

electromechanical organs.

The lock described above may be associated with an electronic unit for local and/or remote control of the principal functions of the lock.

Other characteristics and advantages of the construction of the safety lock with multiple operation according to the invention will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of one of its embodiments which is preferred at present, provided for illustrative purposes and in a non-restrictive way, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an overall view of the safety lock according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of the mechanisms of the lock according to Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows details of a variation of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a sectional detail of a constructional version of the manual operation mechanism of the structures in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 shows a modification of the structure shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 6 shows a modification of the structure shown in Figure 3.

With reference to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the general arrangement of the lock according to the invention, indicated in its entirety by 10, designed - to co-operate with a door which is not shown, and which comprises a first area 11 for manual and panic operation by means of conventional handle represented at 12. The mechanisms of the area 1 1 co-operate with a safety bolt structure 13. The specific construction of the safety bolts falls outside the scope of the present invention. A particularly advantageous construction

of safety bolts is that described in Italian patent No. 1.224.894 cited above.

The mechanisms of area 11 co-operate with area 14 under the control of a normal key-operated bush indicated schematically by 15, in co-operation with means of electromechanical remote control enclosed in area 16.

The structure mentioned above may co-operate with a local electronic unit 17 which may if necessary be associated with a centralised control and monitoring system whose detailed structure does not form part of the present invention.

A control unit operated by a special key, indicated in its entirety by 18, may be provided in the structure shown in Figure 1 , and because of its position may be operated only when the door is open, to permit the enabling or disabling of manual panic operation to be carried out only by an authorised person provided with the key 18.

With reference to Figure 2, the lock comprises a latch 20 associated with a carriage 21 mounted slidably by means of slots 22 and 23 co-operating with pins 24 and 25. The carriage 21 is held elastically in the position of engagement with the door (not shown) by means of a tension spring 26 which acts on the hooked projection 27.

The carriage 21 may be displaced under manual control in the direction of the arrow Fl by means of a pin 28 which co-operates with a tooth 29 formed on a sector gear 30 which can rotate in the direction of the arrow F2 by the operation of the square section pin 31 by means of a handle 32 shown by a broken line.

The teeth 33 of the sector gear 30 engage with a toothed return wheel 34, causing it to rotate on the pin 34a in the direction of the arrow F3 (with the operation of the handle 32). The toothed wheel 34 co-operates with a rack 35 associated with a carriage 36 held elastically by the spring 37 and

movable on slots 38, 39 co-operating with pins 40, 41.

The carriage 36, in its displacement in the direction of the arrow F4 following the rotation of the handle 32 in the direction of the arrow F5, engages a tooth 42 with a corresponding tooth 43 associated with the assembly 44 operating the safety bolts 46, 47 whose structure is described in the previously cited Italian patent.

As the wheel 34 is rotated by the action of the handle 32, the cam 48, integral with the wheel 34 and operating a lever 49 with its fulcrum at 50, comes into action. The lever 49 rotates in the direction of the arrow F6, raising (arrow F7) the return member 51, which disengages a reduction gear unit 52 from an electric motor 53 to permit the displacement of the assembly 44 in the direction of the arrow F8. The reduction gear unit 52 comprises a linkage which includes a pinion 54 co-operating with a rack 54a for the motorised operation of the safety bolt operation assembly 44. This release action substantially has the object of reducing the force required to move back the safety bolt operation assembly 44 during manual operations, thus avoiding the activation of the reduction gear unit 52.

With the arrangement described above, the operation of the handle 32 enables the lock to be opened in all cases, even if the safety bolts 46, 47 were engaged, thus providing the panic function.

Control of the assembly 44 by the key-operated bush 55a is provided through the gear transmission 55, 56, 57. The gear 57 is provided with a finger 57a which co-operates with a forked member 59 integral with the safety bolt operation assembly 44. The gear 57 is associated with a cam 58 which operates a right-angled lever 60 with its fulcrum at 61, which has the function of disengaging the reduction gear unit 52 for the reasons stated above.

In a preferred embodiment, the assembly 44 is provided with an angled

projection 62 disposed so that it co-operates with sensors 63 for remote monitoring of the states of the lock (safety bolts open, closed, or in an intermediate position, corresponding to sensors 63a, 63c, or 63b respectively).

The arrangement described above is to be provided in such a way that, for example, the internal handle 32 performs the operations described above, while the external handle (not shown) acts only on the latch or vice versa, thus providing a safety and panic function.

Figure 3 shows a variation of the arrangement in Figure 2 in which the panic function may be disabled, dependig on the applications of the lock.

In the structure in Figure 3, in which indentical reference numbers indicate parts corresponding to those in Figure 2, a shaped bush 70 may be placed on the rotation pin 34a of the wheel 34, to co-operate with an arm 71 with its fulcrum at 72, which supports the tooth 42.

The position of the shaped bush 70 may be selected at the time of installa¬ tion. Thus, the bush may be positioned with the flat part co-operating with the arm 71 or may be rotated into the diametrically opposite position. Depending on the positioning, the tooth 42 may or may not be brought into engagement with the corresponding tooth 43 of the safety bolt operation assembly 44.

More particularly, in the case in which the flat part of the shaped bush 70 is in contact with the arm 71, the situation shown in Figure 2 is present, in which the tooth 42 is always in alignment with the corresponding tooth 43 so that the engagement between the said teeth 42 and 43, and consequently the opening of the lock, is always ensured.

Conversely, in the case in which the shaped bush 70 is rotated into the diametrically opposite position, bringing the curved surface into contact

with the arm 71, the tooth 42 is removed from the possibility of engagement with the corrisponding tooth 43 of the safety bolt operation assembly 44, thus disabling the panic function when the safety bolt operation assembly 44 is in the position of maximum projection corresponding to the coincidence of the angled projection 62 and the sensor 63c.

In the case in which the safety bolt operation assembly 44 receives a command which causes it to stop in the intermediate position corresponding to the coincidence of the angled projection 62 and the sensor 63b, there will be a return to the functional conditions corresponding to those present in the case in which the arm 71 is in contact with the flat part of the shaped bush 70, owing to the action of the spring 71a provided between the arm 71 and a pin 36a integral with the carriage 36.

Consequently, the same lock may perform the function of two different locks simply through the rotation of one component (the shaped bush 70).

Figure 4 shows a further variation of the structure according to the invention, in which the assembly 30, 31, 32 is subdivided interchangeably to increase the flexibility of use of the lock.

As indicated in Figure 4, the sector gear 30 which operates wheel 34 is associated with a first and second member 30' and 30" associated with the separate latch operation arms 29 in a way which may be freely selected by means of the square spindle 31a, 31b of varying length associated with the handle 32, 32'.

Depending on the length of the square spindles 31a, 31 b and their location to the right or left of Figure 4, the handle 32 or 32' may be made into a panic or normal type as necessary, thus providing a further degree of freedom in the operating conditions of the lock while keeping the basic structure unmodified.

With reference to Figure 1 again, it should be noted that the local electronic control unit 17 of the previously described structure may be separated from the assembly and may form a separate unit located in close proximity to the electromechanical structure of the lock.

The local electronic control unit 17, whether of the intelligent type or consisting of a terminal of a centralised logic assembly, may conveniently be mounted in a suitable void formed within the body of the door or similar, and accessible only when the door is open, in order to prevent vandalism or tampering. Furthermore, the separate location of the local electronic control unit 17 simplifies maintenance, since it may easily be replaced without any operations on the lock.

Figure 5 shows a construction identical to that shown in Figure 2, apart from the modification that will be described below, and in which parts corresponding to those of Figure 2 have been shown with the same reference numbers, this being a modification to simplify the construction. As it can be seen in Figure 5, the cam 48 (shown in Figure 2) for operating the lever 49 has been omitted. The lever 49 of Figure 5 is modified in that it is provided with a cam surface 49b that co-operates with a roller 36b pivoted on the right side of the carriage 36, so that when the carriage 36 is shifted to the right by the toothed wheel 34, under the combined action of roller 36b and cam surface 49b, the lever 49 is rotated in the direction of the arrow F6 accomglishing the same operation.

Figure 6 shows a construction identical to that shown in Figure 3, apart from the modification that will be described below, and in which parts corresponding to those of Figure 2 have been shown with the same reference numbers, this modification being provided to selectively introduce the panic function at will, when the door is open, with a simple operation and without disassembling the whole lock.

As it can be seen in Figure 6, the cam 70 is rotated through 90° with

respect to the arrangement shown in Figure 3. Additionally, there is provided a slider 100 which can be shifted up and down as shown by the double arrow F100.

The slider 100 co-operates with a lever 101 pivoted in 102. The lever 101 co-operates with a pin 103 arranged on the part 71b of the arm 71, so that when the slider 100 is in the "up" position as shown in the drawing, the tooth 42 cannot engage the corresponding tooth 43. Thus, when the slider 100 is in the "up" position the sliding of the carriage 36 cannot cause the sliding of the safety bolt operation assembly 44 and the panic function is disabled, i.e. the door cannot be open from the interior.

On the contrary, when the slider 100 is in the "down" position shown in dotted lines, the tooth 42 is free to engage the corresponding tooth 43 thus enabling the panic function.

The slider 100 allows to modify the operation of the lock without having to modify the orientation of the cam 70, that would require to have access to the interior mechanisms of the lock as it is necessary with the construction of Figure 3.