1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an indicating lock for a rimless glass door, and more particularly to an indicating lock which does not involve cutting of the glass in order to the lock.
2. Description of Related Art
A first conventional lock for a rimless glass door can be installed on the rimless glass door without having to cut the glass, so it is very easy to install it. However, the first conventional lock does not have an indicating function, so those outside the glass door cannot know whether the door is locked unless they try opening the door.
A second conventional lock for the rimless glass door has a disk generally printed with two colors, such as blue and red. In a locked status, the red sectors of the disk can be seen from a slot of a panel of the lock; and in an unlocked status, the blue sectors of the disk can be seen from the slot. Thus, those outside the door can directly know whether the door is locked. However, the second conventional lock is provided with an axle extending through the door, so the glass door must be cut for installing the lock.
Therefore, the invention provides an indicating lock to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide an indicating lock for a rimless glass door which does not involve cutting of the glass to install the lock.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
The seat assembly (10) is composed of an interior seat (11) and an exterior seat (12). The interior seat (11) has at least one recess (115) defined at a side thereof, and the exterior seat (12) has at least one finger (123) extending towards the interior seat (11) and received in the at least one recess (115). By fasteners inserted through the finger (123) and engaged in the interior seat (11), the interior seat (11) and the exterior seat (12) are assembled together. Viewed from the top, the seat (10) has a U-like shape, and a door (not shown in this figure) can be installed between the interior seat (11) and the exterior seat (12).
A first chamber (111) is defined in the interior seat (11) and at a side adjacent the door, and a channel (112) is defined in the first chamber (111) and adjacent a top side of the interior seat (11). A first hole (113) is defined through the interior seat (11) and beneath the channel (112). A latch hole (114) is transversally defined through the interior seat (11).
A second chamber (124) is defined in the exterior seat (12) and at a side adjacent the door, and a second hole (121) is defined through the exterior seat (12). At least one arcuate slot (122) is defined around the second hole (121). In this embodiment, two arcuate slots (122) are defined at two diametrically opposite sides of the second hole (121).
The driving member (20) has an interior driving disk (21) mounted in the interior seat (11), and an exterior driving disk (22) mounted in the exterior seat (12). The interior driving disk (21) has multiple first openings (211) defined therethrough, and multiple magnetic elements (23) are respectively received in the first openings (211). The exterior driving disk (22) has multiple second openings (221), and further multiple magnetic elements (23) are respectively received in the second openings (221).
In this embodiment, the interior driving disk (21) has two arcuate first openings (211) respectively defined at two diametrically opposite sides thereof, and the exterior driving disk (22) has two arcuate second openings (221) respectively defined at two diametrically opposite sides thereof. Four arcuate magnetic elements (23) are respectively received in the first and second openings (211, 221), wherein the polarities of the magnetic elements (23) in the first openings (211) and in the second openings (221) are opposite to each other. Therefore, under the magnetic force of the magnetic elements (23), the interior disk (21) and the exterior disk (22) respectively at two sides of the door can be turned with each other.
In a second embodiment as illustrated in
With reference back to
The latching member (30) is mounted in the interior seat (11), and has an inner latch (31) movably received in the channel (112). The inner latch (31) has a first end (311) adjacent the latch hole (114), and a notch (312) defined at a second end thereof away from the latch hole (114). The pin (212) in the interior disk (21) is positioned in the notch (312). An outer latch (33) movably extends through the latch hole (114) and connected with the inner latch (31) by a link (32). The link (32) has a first aperture (321), in which the first end (311) of the inner latch (31) is inserted, and a second aperture (322) beneath the first aperture (321), in which the outer latch (33) is inserted.
The indicating ring (40) is provided between the exterior disk (22) and the exterior seat (12) and aligned with the arcuate slots (122). The indicating ring (40) has at least two colors, symbols or words printed on a side facing the exterior seat (12) and visible from the arcuate slots (122). In this embodiment, two pairs of colored sectors, such as blue sectors (A) and red sectors (B), are evenly and alternatively provided at the side of the indicating ring (40) facing the exterior seat (12).
The clamping member (50) is composed of two clamping sheets (51) provided between the interior disk (21) and the exterior disk (22), and a pad (52) provided between the interior disk (21) and the adjacent clamping sheet (51) to cover the first chamber (111) of the interior seat (11). The clamping sheets (51) each have a first circular opening (511) defined therethrough, and the pad (52) has a second circular opening (521) aligned with the first circular openings (511). Multiple suckers (512) are formed on the clamping sheets (51) for abutting the glass door.
In assembly, with reference to
After the magnetic elements (23) are received in the interior disk (21), the pin (212) of the interior disk (21) is positioned in the notch (312) and the pole (213) is inserted through the first hole (113) for the knob (214) provided at the free end of the pole (213). The indicating ring (40) and the exterior disk (22) are in turn received in the second chamber (124), and the colored sheets (A, B) are exposed from the arcuate slots (122). The core (223) extends through the second hole (121) and is fastened in the third hole (222). Therefore, turning the core (223) can rotate the exterior disk (22).
The first chamber (111) is then covered with the pad (52), and one of the clamping sheets (51) is provided outside the pad (52). The interior disk (21) is received the second circular opening (521) of the pad (52) and the first circular opening (511) of the adjacent clamping sheet (51). The second chamber (124) is covered with the other clamping sheet (51). The exterior disk (22) is received in the first circular opening (511) of the adjacent clamping sheet (51).
With reference to
With reference to
Under the force of the magnetic elements (23), the exterior disk (22) and the indicating ring (40) are turned along with the interior disk (21). When the outer latch (33) is positioned in the latch recess, the red sectors (B) are respectively aligned with the arcuate slots (122), so that any person outside the door can see the red sectors (B) and so is aware that the door is locked.
With reference to
Under the force of the magnetic elements (23), the exterior disk (22) and the indicating ring (40) are reversedly turned along with the interior disk (21). When the outer latch (33) is retracted from the latch recess, the blue sectors (A) are respectively aligned with the arcuate slots (122), so that any person outside the door can see the blue sectors (A) and so is aware that the door is unlocked.
With reference to
With reference to
The locking and unlocking manners are the same as the manners for the glass door with one door leaf except that the outer latch (33) is not received in/retracted from the latch recess in the doorframe but instead is received in/retracted from the second latch hole (711).
Because the indicating lock eliminates an axle extending through the door, the indicating lock can be easily installed on the door without cutting glass of the door. Furthermore, it is also very convenient for those outside the door to know by observing the indicating ring (40) whether the door is locked. Moreover, the door is locked by the magnetic force, so it is very easy to unlock the indicating lock by turning the core (223) in an emergency.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3141319 | Schlage | Jul 1964 | A |
3589152 | Glass et al. | Jun 1971 | A |
3602020 | Kajita | Aug 1971 | A |
3837195 | Pelto | Sep 1974 | A |
4126022 | Bara Marco | Nov 1978 | A |
4195867 | Baillie | Apr 1980 | A |
4490999 | Castle et al. | Jan 1985 | A |
4918953 | Newman | Apr 1990 | A |
5301988 | Davenport et al. | Apr 1994 | A |
6164098 | Hommes | Dec 2000 | A |