CHILD SAFETY LOCK

Abstract

The invention relates to a child safety lock for a cupboard or drawer comprising at least one movable door or drawer 8a, 8b and a fixed frame member 5, the lock comprising a latch part 3 and a catch part 21, the latch part 3 being destined to be fitted on a surface of the fixed frame member 5, and including a latching protrusion 17 extending outwardly from the cupboard between the doors 8a, 8b, the latching protrusion 17 including a through hole 18 for receiving an at least one spring biased bolt 23 of the catch part 21, the catch part 21 including a slot 24 which receives the latching protrusion 17, wherein at least one spring biased bolt 23 extends across the slot and into the hole 18 when the latching protrusion 17 is located in the slot 24 to lock the catch part 21 to the latch protrusion 3 which prevent the doors 8a, 8b from being opened and that at least one user operable button 28 is provided which, when pressed, causes the at least one bolt 23 to retract from the hole 18 thus releasing the lock, characterised in that a secondary lock means 34 is provided which must be first engaged by the user before the bolt 23 can be released.

Description

Claims

1. A child safety lock for a cupboard or drawer comprising at least one movable door or drawer and a fixed frame member, the lock comprising a latch part and a catch part, the latch part being destined to be fitted on a surface of the fixed frame member and including a latching protrusion extending outwardly from the cupboard between the doors, the latching protrusion including a through hole for receiving an at least one spring biased bolt of the catch part, the catch part including a slot which receives the latching protrusion, wherein at least one spring biased bolt extends across the slot and into the hole when the latching protrusion is located in the slot to lock the catch part to the latch protrusion which prevent the doors from being opened and that at least one user operable button is provided which, when pressed, causes the at least one bolt to retract from the hole thus releasing the lock, characterised in that a secondary lock means is provided which must be first engaged by the user before the bolt can be released.

2. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that a pair of bolts are provided each releaseable by operation of a pair of corresponding side buttons located on opposing sides of the catch part.

3. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that the catch part comprises a housing having an inside part and an outside part and which inside part includes an open slot to receive the latching protrusion when the user desire to lock the cupboard with the cupboard doors closed.

4. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that bevelled surfaces are provided at the ends of the bolts so that when slot is aligned with the latching protrusion and the catch part is pressed on the by the user, the latching protrusion pushes back bolts against the springs which allows the catch part to be pressed further until the bolts are aligned with the latching holes at which point the springs urge the bolts into the latching holes and the catch part clicks into position.

5. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that bevelled surfaces are also provided at the remote end of the latching protrusion to further facilitate the easy separate of the bolts when the catch part is pushed onto the latching protrusion.

6. A child safety lock according to claim 2, characterised in that the side buttons are respectively connected to mutually sliding carriage frames inside which the springs are mounted such that pressing in the side button on one side causes the bolt on the opposing side to be pushed back against its spring and the bolt retracts back out of the slot.

7. A child safety lock according to claim 6, characterised in that the carriage frames are arranged in sliding guides formed in the housing.

8. A child safety lock according to claim 6, characterised in that the carriage frames is prevented by the releasable secondary lock in the form of a pin which is biased by spring to engage in a corresponding hole in the carriage frames to prevent their movement.

9. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that a top button is provided at the top of the housing which may be pressed by the user in order to release the pin.

10. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that pressing of the top button causes a pair of sliders arranged laterally to either side of the spring, to move downwardly to engage the outer parts of a pair of rockers which are mounted on pivots so that the downward movement of the outer parts causes the upward movement of the inner parts of the rockers to move upwardly against the underside of an enlarged head of the pin against the bass of the spring .

11. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that downward movement of the top button causes the pin to move out of the hole and out of engagement with the carriage frames.

12. A child safety lock according to claim 11, characterised in that in order to release the catch part, the user is required to first press the top button in the direction of arrow A, followed by the side buttons together in the directions of arrow-B, whilst the top button continues to be pressed, as shown in Figure 12.

13. A child safety lock according to claim 1, characterised in that the latch part includes a supporting wall arranged orthogonally to the tongue .

14. A child safety lock according to claim 13, characterised in that the latching protrusion is arranged orthogonally to the supporting wall-39.

15. A child safety lock according to claim 13, characterised in that the tongue of the latch part includes diametrically opposed flanges which correspond with a groove of a frame attachment member.

16. A child safety lock according to claim 15, characterised in that the frame attachment member includes an enlarged web which comprises an attachment surface.

17. A child safety lock according to claim 16, characterised in that the enlarged web 9-extends orthogonally to the groove housing.