DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a self-reclosing lock.

Electric self-reclosing locks known as electro-pistons have been on the market for some time, which envisage a single closure element, a spring latch or alternatively a bolt, activatable independently through the handle follower or through the cam of the cylinder for the key or even through an electric control.

The electro-piston, in the spring latch version, has a limited extraction position and an extended extraction position wherein a mechanism locks the spring latch in such a way that it can act as a bolt.

Such a locking mechanism in some solutions is activatable by pressing the charge piston, whereas in other solutions, it is activatable by pressing the charge piston and the spring latch simultaneously.

One of the main drawbacks of a traditional spring-latch electro-piston therefore consists of the fact that in the event of accidental or malicious activation of the locking mechanism of the spring latch when the door is open, during the closure of the door the spring latch can hit the door jamb that delimits the doorway and get damaged or damage it badly.

Another drawback reported consists of the poor adaptability of the lock to different spans between the front plate applied to the lock box and the counter-plate on the door jamb.

Furthermore a traditional spring-latch electro-piston is not always able to guarantee comparable resistance to combined bending and compressive stress to that provided by the bolt version.

The technical task of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a self-reclosing lock which obviates the above-described technical drawbacks of the prior art.

Within the scope of this technical task, an object of the invention is to provide a self-reclosing lock with extremely secure operation, mechanically burglar proof and adaptable in a versatile way to various applications.

Another object of the invention is in particular to provide a spring-latch electro- pi ston with extremely secure operation, suitable to exclude or obstruct accidental or malicious tampering which could cause damage, extremely mechanically resistant to combined bending and compressive stress, and universally adaptable to a wide range of centre-to-centre distances between the front plate applied to the lock box and the counter-plate on the door jamb.

The technical task, as well as these and other objects, according to the present invention will be reached by providing a self-reclosing lock comprising a box in which a spring latch is housed, translatable in contrast and by the action of a first elastic element between a retracted position, a limited extracted position and a fully extracted position from the box, a charge piston translatable in contrast and by the action of a second elastic element between a retracted position and an extracted position from the box, characterised in that it comprises inside the box an oscillating distributor element having a first organ operatively engaged with the spring latch for its drive and deadlocking, and a second feeler organ cooperating with a cam surface on the charge piston, the kinematic chain comprising said charge piston, said distributor and said spring latch being configured so as to perform, when the charge piston is in its extracted position and the spring latch is in its limited extracted position, if the charge piston and/or the spring latch are simultaneously or alternatively subjected to an external thrust force against the action o the second and first elastic elements, an automatically reversible movement to said extracted and limited extracted positions when said external thrust force is released.

Further characteristics of the present invention are also defined in the following claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will more fully emerge from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the self- reclosing lock according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the lock;

Figure 2 shows a raised lateral view of the lock in the open door condition, from which for convenience purposes a lateral wall of the box, the control rod and the guide block of the spring latch have been removed;

Figure 3 shows a raised lateral view of the lock in the condition wherein the door is resting on the door jamb but not locked, from which for convenience purposes a lateral wall of the box, the control rod and the guide block f the spring latch have been removed;

Figure 4 shows a raised lateral view of the lock in the condition wherein the door is resting on the door jamb and locked, from which for convenience purposes a lateral wall of the box, the control rod and the guide block of the spring latch have been removed;

Figure 5 shows an axonometric view of the charge piston and the distributor in the door open condition: and

Figure 6 shows an axonometric view of the lock from which for convenience purposes a lateral wall of the box has been removed.

With reference to the figures mentioned, a self-reclosing lock is shown indicated overall with the reference number 1.

The lock 1 comprises a box 2 in which a spring latch 3 is housed, translatable in contrast and by the action of a first elastic element 4, a charge piston 5 translatable in contrast and by the action of a second elastic element 6 between a retraction position and an extraction position from the box 2.

Inside the box 2 there is also a translatable control rod 7 of an oscillating distributor element 8.

The distributor element 8 has a first organ 9 operatively engaged with the spring latch 3 for its drive and block, and a second feeler organ 10 of a cam 65 on the charge piston 5.

The second feeler organ 1 0 has an engagement configuration with the cam 65 achievable due to the effect of a rotation of the distributor 8 in the direction to which a translation of the spring latch 3 corresponds in the extraction direction from the box 2, and a disengagement configuration from the cam 65 achievable due to the effect of a rotation of the distributor 8 in the direction to which a translation of the spring latch 3 corresponds in the retraction direction into the box The distributor 8 can consist of a single piece or more than one piece fixed to each other wherein the first organ 9 and the second organ 10 are however made of a single piece.

The cam 65 is envisaged on a lateral wall 1 1 of the charge piston 5 and has a first support zone 15, 50 which is presented to the feeler organ 10 when the charge piston 5 is in the retraction position, and a second support zone 16 which is presented to the feeler organ 10 when the charge piston 5 is in the extraction position.

The first support zone 1 5, 50 has a first flat part 15 and a second flat part 50 inclined with respect to the first flat part 1 5.

The second support zone 16 is also flat.

The first flat part 1 5 of the first support zone 1 5, 50 and the second support zone 16 are parallel to each other.

The second inclined part 50 of the first support zone 1 5, 50 connects the first part

15 to the second support zone 16 filling the gap between the two.

The first flat part 15 of the first support zone 15, 50 and the second support zone

1 6 are paral lel to the axis of oscillation 29 of the distributor 8, and to the extraction direction of the charge piston 5. The first flat part 15 of the first support zone 1 5, 50 has a greater distance from the axis of oscillation 29 of the distributor 8 than that of the second support zone 16.

The distributor element 8 has a limited angular extraction position of the spring latch 3 from the box 2 when the feeler organ 10 is resting on the second support zone 1 6. The distributor element 8 also has an extended angular extraction position of the spring latch 3 from the box 2 when the feeler organ 10 is resting on the first support zone 1 5, 50.

Conveniently when the distributor 8 has the extended angular extraction position of the spring latch 3. the first organ 9 is engaged with a cam 14 of the spring latch 3 to lock the spring latch 3 itself.

The box 2 has a parallelepiped configuration and comprises a front flat delimiting wall 17, a rear flat delimiting wall 18 opposite and parallel to the front flat delimiting wall 17, an upper flat delimiting wall 19, a lower flat delimiting wall 20 opposite and parallel to the upper flat delimiting wall 19, and two lateral flat delimiting walls opposite and parallel 21 , 22.

A plate 23 is externally applied to the front delimiting wall 17, which, when the door on which the lock is assembled is resting on the door jamb, faces a counter- plate on the door jamb itself.

A special guide block 24 fixed into the box 2 supports the spring latch 3 in a translatable way at right angles to the plane of the front flat delimiting wall 17 of the box 2.

The front flat delimiting wall 17 of the box 2 and the plate 23 have i particular respective openings 25, 26 aligned for the passage o the spring latch 3.

The charge piston 5 is also supported in the box 2 in a translatable way at right angles to the plane of the front flat delimiting wall 17 of the box 2.

The front flat delimiting wall 17 of the box 2 and the plate 23 have in particular respective openings 27, 28 aligned for the passage of the charge piston 5. The elastic element 6 that activates the charge piston 5 comprises in particular a helical spring operating in compression positioned with parallel axis to the axis of movement of the charge piston 5 between the rear base of the charge piston 5 and the internal side of the rear delimiting wall 18 of the box 2.

The distributor 8 is interposed between the spring latch 3 and the charge piston 5 and is fixed to the box 2 with the axis of oscillation 29 at right angles to the lateral delimiting walls 21 , 22 of the box 2.

The control rod 7 extends longitudinally in a parallel plane to the lateral delimiting walls 21 , 22 of the box 2 and is supported in a translatable way at right angles to the upper 19 and lower 20 delimiting walls of the box 2.

The control rod 7 is activatable independently from the cam of the cylinder (not shown) for the key of the lock, from a reel 30 of an electric control managed by a special electronic board 45, and from the cam 3 1 of the handle follower 35 which in turn is fixed to the box 2 and can oscillate, in contrast and by the action of an elastic element 46, about an axis of oscillation paral lel to that of the distributor 8. In particular, the control rod 7 has a tab 32 engageable by the cam of the cylinder for the key of the lock, a tab 33 hooked onto the mobile stem 34 of the electric reel 30, and a tooth 35 engageable by the cam 3 1 of the handle follower 35.

The control rod 7 on one side faces the lateral delimiting wall 22 and on the other side partly overlaps with the guide block 24, partly with the distributor 8, partly with the charge piston 5 and partly with the handle follower 35. The control rod 7 has a first slot 38 which extends lengthwise parallel to its translation direction for the passage of the hub of the handle follower 35 and a second slot 39 which extends lengthwise parallel to its translation direction for the passage of the hub of the distributor 8.

The front 17 and rear 1 8 delimiting walls of the box 2 and a special groove 40 in the guide block 24 operate as a guide for the translation of the control rod 7 which in turn rests on the underlying components.

For the transformation of a translation of the control rod 7 into an oscillation of the distributor 8, the control rod 7 has a slot 36 which extends lengthwise at right angles to its translation direction, in which it slidably engages a pin 37 which projects from the distributor 8 at right angles to the lateral delimiting walls 21 , 22. The pin 37 has a diameter which is substantially the same as the transversal dimension of the slot 36.

For the transformation of the rotatory oscillation of the distributor 8 into a translation of the spring latch 3, the first organ 9 of the distributor 8 is configured like an extension having an enlarged head 41 operatively engaged in a perimeter groove 42 of the spring latch 3. The head 41 is operative to push against the rear wall of the groove 42 to cause the retraction of the spring latch 3 and against the front wall of the groove 42 to cause the extraction of the spring latch 3.

The front wall of the groove 42 has an edge defining the cam 14 which is configured so as to transmit to the first organ 9, when they come into contact, only forces radially directed towards the axis of oscillation 29 o the distributor 8.

The feeler organ 1 0 has a first flat side 43 for contact with the first support zone 15 and a second flat side 44, angled with respect to the first flat side 43, for contact with the second support zone 1 6. In the contact position, the first flat side 43 of the feeler organ 10 rests fully on the first flat support zone 15.

In the preferred but not exclusive application of the invention illustrated herein the self-reclosing lock is more precisely a spring- latch electro-piston.

The construction of the lock excludes the automatic locking of the spring latch 3 in the event of tampering or accidental activation of the charge piston 5 and/or the spring latch 3. More particularly the operation of the self-reclosing lock is as follows.

The door is open. The second elastic element 6 exerts on the charge piston 5 an elastic extraction force which by effect of the engagement of the charge piston 5 with the second feeler organ 10 transmits to the distributor 8 a prevalent rotation torque on the rotation torque transmitted to the distributor 8 by the first organ 9 by- effect of the engagement with the spring latch 3 and due to the elastic extraction force exerted on the spring latch 3 by the first elastic element 4.

The elastic element 4 therefore maintains the kinematic chain comprising the control rod 7, the distributor 8 and the spring latch 3 in the configuration corresponding to the limited extraction position of the spring latch 3 and the resting position of the feeler organ 10 on the second support zone 16 of the charge piston 5 which is maintained by the elastic elemen 6 in the extraction position. From this condition it is not possible to cause the automatic locking of the spring latch 3 at any time during the retraction stroke of the spring latch and of the charge piston 5.

In fact, any accidental or malicious activation of the spring latch 3 in the retraction direction causes the release of the feeler organ 10 from the cam 65, and consequently the spring latch 3 and the charge piston 5 are no longer connected through the distributor 8 and cannot interfere and hence cause each other to lock. Neither is it possible for a differential retraction, caused accidentally or maliciously, to trigger the locking of the spring latch 3.

The rotation induced on the distributor 8 by the retraction of the spring latch 3 in fact advantageously causes, as mentioned, the feeler organ 10 to move away from the lateral wall 1 1 of the charge piston 5, so that when the accidental or malicious retraction force on the spring latch 3 finishes, the spring latch 3 and the charge piston 5 are automatically brought back into their initial condition, that is, the spring latch 3 into the limited extraction position and the charge piston 5 into the extraction position.

On the other hand, if only the charge piston 5 is subjected to an external retraction force, advantageously the kinematic chain comprising the charge piston 5, the distributor 8 and the spring latch 3 performs an automatically reversible movement when said external retraction force acting on the charge piston 5 is released.

Therefore if the charge piston 5 and/or the spring latch 3 are subjected simultaneously or alternatively to an external thrust force, the kinematic chain comprising the charge piston 5, the distributor 8 and the spring latch 3 performs an automatically reversible movement when said external thrust force is released. In order to close the door, the lock rests on the door jamb and when the front plate 23 of the box 2 meets the counter-plate of the door jamb, the simultaneous retraction of the spring latch 3 and the charge piston 5 begins. The retraction of the charge piston 5 continues until the complete alignment of the front plate 23 of the box 2 with the counter-plate of the door jamb, since the charge piston 5 puts stress on a full portion of the counter-plate, whereas thanks to the action of the elastic element 4 the spring latch 3 is re-extracted finding an empty space in the counter- plate.

The extraction stroke of the spring latch 3 therefore takes place with the charge piston 5 in a retraction position suitable to present to the feeler organ 10 no longer the second support zone 16 but the first support zone 15, 50.

The aforementioned kinematic chain is consequently activated by the elastic element 4 which causes a rotation of the distributor 8 which does not stop in the angular position initially adopted and defined by the resting of the feeler organ 10 on the second support zone 16, but continues until the feeler organ 1 0 is at the first support zone 15, 50. The spring latch 3 therefore performs the extended extraction position to which the engagement of the first organ 9 of the distributor 8 with the cam 14 corresponds. In this position the spring latch 3 is locked, since a retraction force acting axially on the spring latch 3 is discharged in the radial direction on the axis of oscillation 29 of the distributor 8 without force components useful for the rotation of the distributor 8.

The unlocking is managed by the electronic board 45 which, upon request, activates the stem 34 of the reel 30 which in turn activates the aforementioned kinematic chain overcoming the reaction of the elastic element 4.

The self-reclosing lock according to the invention is particularly reliable, secure and strong and its special construction makes it flexibly adaptable to various possible centre-to-centre distances between the plate of the lock box and the counter-plate of the door jamb.

The self-rec losing lock as conceived herein is susceptible to many modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the invented concept; furthermore, all the details are replaceable by technically equivalent elements.

The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may in practice be of any type according to requirements and the state of the art.