The present invention relates to a pushbutton combination lock comprising a frame, a lock bolt mechanism comprising a lock bolt movably mounted on the frame between a locking and an unlocking position and a lock bolt actuating mechanism arranged to move the lock bolt between the locking and unlocking positions and operable from a first and a second side of the lock, and a locking mechanism for locking the lock bolt mechanism to prevent the lock bolt from being moved by the lock bolt actuating mechanism to the unlocking position, which locking mechanism comprises a first series of pushbuttons on the first side of the lock and a second series of pushbuttons on the second side of the lock and a first series of tumbler members movable between normal and depressed stable positions by means of respective pushbuttons of said first pushbutton series.
Such a pushbutton combination lock is disclosed in GB-A-2 176 233. In this known lock the proximal end of the lock bolt is in the form of a check slide which can be blocked or released by the tumbler members. The tumbler members, which are provided with grooves, can be positioned in such a manner that the grooves therein can be aligned for receiving the check slide end of the lock bolt to permit unlocking of the lock. Each of the tumbler elements is provided with an additional groove, opposite the first grooves, so that by repositioning the tumbler members another number combination can be set.
The lock disclosed in GB-A-2 176 233 comprises a series of pushbuttons on both sides of the lock so that from both sides the number combination can be entered to unlock the lock. An advantage of such a lock is therefore that from neither side of the door, the door can be freely opened so that the door or gate does not have to be completely closed to prevent access to the door handle on the other side of the door or gate. This is especially the case for outdoor doors or gates, such as garden gates or gates in fences. Although the lock comprises a series of pushbuttons on both sides, it comprises only one series of tumbler members and only one check slide. The pushbuttons on both sides of the lock act therefore onto the same tumbler members so that a same number combination has to be used on both sides of the lock. It is thus not possible to set one complex number combination on the outer side and a less complex combination on the inner side.
Another drawback is that the tumbler members have to be reset manually each time after having unlocked the lock. Immediate resetting is especially required since the pushbuttons are formed by push members, the position of which indicates the position of the tumbler members so that the combination required to unlock the lock is readily visible if the tumbler members are not reset. A further drawback of the lock disclosed in GB-A-2 176 233 is that the number combination of the lock is quite difficult to change and requires quite a lot of skill. The lock has indeed to be opened, the tumbler members have to be removed and have to be repositioned and the lock has again to be closed. Repositioning of the tumbler elements and closing of the lock is not so easy since different elements, such as the spring detents and the push members engage the tumbler members and have to be brought all at once in engagement with the tumbler members. A final drawback of the lock disclosed in GB-A-2 176 233 is that it is not very tamper-proof. When exerting a force onto the unlocking button so that the check slide presses against the tumbler members, an intruder can get a tactile indication of which pushbuttons have to be depressed. The check slide will indeed penetrate somewhat in the groove of the tumbler members which are in the right position so that some additional resistance will be felt when pushing onto the corresponding pushbuttons.
An object of the present invention is now first of all to provide a lock with a series of pushbuttons on both sides of the lock for which a different combination can be set on both sides of the lock. The combination may in particular be a much easier combination on one side, in particular to enable persons leaving a certain area, such as a domestic garden or a factory site, to unlock the lock more easily and quickly than persons who want to enter that area.
To this end the lock according to the invention is characterised in that the locking mechanism further comprises a first check slide movably mounted on the frame and co-operating with the first series of tumbler members to be blocked or released thereby; a second series of tumbler members movable between normal and depressed stable positions by means of respective pushbuttons of said second pushbutton series; a second check slide movably mounted on the frame and co-operating with the second series of tumbler members to be blocked or released thereby; and a selector which is movably mounted on the frame and which is blocked or released by the first and second check slides, the selector coupling the first and/or the second check slides to the lock bolt mechanism so that, at least when the first and the second check slides are blocked, the selector is blocked and is locking the lock bolt mechanism, and the selector being arranged to be released by either the first or the second check slide so that the lock bolt mechanism can be unlocked by releasing the first or respectively the second check slide.
Due to the fact that the lock comprises not only two series of pushbuttons, but also two series of tumbler members, two check slides and a selector coupling the two check slides to the lock bolt mechanism and enabling to unlock this lock bolt mechanism either by means of the first series of pushbuttons or by means of the pushbuttons, the lock cannot only be unlocked from both sides of the lock but it is possible to set different number combinations on both sides of the lock.
For enabling the selector to be released by either the first or the second check slide, it is possible to provide a switching mechanism which is manually operable from both sides of the lock and which enables to switch the selector between a first position wherein it is coupled to the first check slide and a second position wherein it is coupled to the second check slide. A person who wants to unlock the lock from the first side of the lock therefore has to switch the selector by means of the switching mechanism, including for example an additional button on the first side of the lock, to the first check slide whilst a person who wants to unlock the lock from the second side of the lock has to switch the selector by means of the switching mechanism, including for example an additional button on the second side of the lock, to the second check slide.
In a preferred embodiment of the lock according to the invention, such a manual intervention is however not required to select either the first check slide if one is on the first side of the lock or the second check slide if one is on the second side of the lock. This preferred embodiment is characterised in that the selector comprises a switch element which engages both the first and the second check slides to lock the lock bolt mechanism when the first and second check slides are blocked, which switches to the first check slide so that the selector is released and the lock bolt mechanism unlocked thereby when the first check slide is released whilst the second check slide remains blocked and which switches to the second check slide so that the selector is released and the lock bolt mechanism unlocked thereby when the second check slide is released and the first check slide remains blocked.
In this preferred embodiment, the switch element of the selector switches automatically to or selects in other words automatically the check slide which is released so that the lock can be unlocked from either one side of the lock, whilst the check slide releasable from the other side of the lock remains blocked.
In a further preferred embodiment, the lock bolt is a latch bolt which is biased by means of a latch bolt spring out of the frame of the lock and the selector couples the first and/or the second check slides to the lock bolt actuating mechanism so that the latch bolt can be pushed in against the spring bias even when the first and the second check slides are both blocked. Preferably, the lock further comprises a dead bolt and a key operated dead bolt actuating mechanism.
Since the lock bolt is a latch bolt, it is possible to provide a reset mechanism which immediately resets the locking mechanism after having unlocked the lock. The lock bolt has indeed not to be withdrawn by means of the handles to enable to close the door again. The door is thus always automatically locked again when a reset mechanism is provided.
In addition to the latch bolt, the lock preferably comprises a dead bolt and a key operated dead bolt actuating mechanism. In this way the lock can be locked more reliably, for example at night or when everybody has left, by means of the key operated mechanism (the combination lock provides indeed only a limited number of possible combinations, namely only 1024 combinations for 10 pushbuttons). At daytime, or when several persons have to be able to unlock the lock, the dead bolt can be unlocked so that all the persons who know the number combination can unlock the lock.
As described hereabove, a further drawback of the lock disclosed in GB-A-2 176 233 is that the number combination of the lock is quite difficult to change and requires quite a lot of skill. Another object of the present invention is therefore to provide a pushbutton combination lock which comprises a series of pushbuttons, a series of tumbler members movable by means of the pushbuttons and a check slide which can be blocked or released by the tumbler members, and which enables to modify the tumbler elements in an easier way to change the number combination.
This is achieved in the pushbutton combination lock as defined in claim 16 which may comprise only one series of pushbuttons or two series of pushbuttons, one on each side of the lock. In this lock, each of the tumbler members consists of a first tumbler element which is movable in a hole in the frame and of a second tumbler element which is movable in an opposite hole in the check slide and is biased by means of a spring against the first tumbler element. The first tumbler element is further composed of a base body, which is movably mounted in the hole of the first tumbler element in the frame, and a code body which is removably fixed to the base body to extend through a through hole of the base body to engage the second tumbler element. In such a lock, the tumbler members do not have to be removed and repositioned as a whole in the lock to change the number combination but only the code bodies, which have different lengths, have to be removed and repositioned in the base bodies. In a preferred embodiment, the code bodies can more particularly be screwed simply into and out of the base bodies.
A final drawback of the lock disclosed in GB-A-2 176 233 was that it is not very tamper-proof due to the fact that when exerting a force onto the unlocking button so that the check slide presses against the tumbler members, an intruder can get a tactile indication of which pushbuttons have to be depressed to unlock the lock. A further object of the present invention is thus to enhance the security of the pushbutton combination lock.
Such an enhanced security is achieved in the pushbutton combination locks as defined in claims 5 and 6, which comprise two series of pushbuttons, and in the push button combination locks as defined in claims 21 and 22, which have to comprise only one series of pushbuttons.
The locks defined in these claims comprise a security slide which is interposed between the pushbuttons and the tumbler members and which is movable between two positions. In its normal or rest position, the security slide allows the tumbler members to be moved by the pushbuttons. When actuating the lock bolt mechanism, the security slide is however moved to its second position wherein it prevents the tumbler members from being moved by the respective pushbuttons. Consequently, when trying to pick the pushbutton combination, an intruder cannot push in the pushbuttons while forcing at the same time the check slide against the tumbler members to get a tactile indication of which tumbler members have to be depressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,889 also discloses a system for enhancing the security of a pushbutton combination lock. In this known system each pushbutton has an attached blocking member which projects into a notch in the check slide when depressing the pushbutton so that it limits the movements of the check slide. In this way an attacker would not be able to gain any tactile feedback by trying to operate the lock while pressing on different buttons. However, it is still possible to get a tactile indication of which pushbuttons have to be depressed by first operating the lock so that the check slide is forced against the tumbler members and then pressing the different buttons.
Other particularities and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of some particular embodiments of the pushbutton combination lock according to the present invention. The reference numerals used in this description relate to the annexed drawings wherein:
The pushbutton combination lock shown in the drawings is a lock provided to be mounted against a profile, in particular a tubular profile, of a gate, fence, door, etc. The profile has to be provided with holes so that both the latch and the dead bolt can project there through. When the lock is mounted so that the latch and dead bolts do not have to extend through a profile, the length thereof can of course be reduced.
The lock illustrated in the figures comprises a frame 1 which includes as main structural elements a cover box 2, an upper 3 and a lower side cover plate 4 for closing the lateral side of the box 2 and a base plate 5 arranged within the closed box 2. The base plate 5 has on one side an upstanding edge 6 and on its other side two upstanding edge portions 7, 8. The upper side cover plate 3 is fixed by means of screws 9 to the upper portion of the cover box 2 whilst the lower, substantially rectangular side cover plate is fixed by means of a screw 10 to the cover box 2.
The cover box 2 is provided with two aligned openings 11 through which a cylinder 12 can be inserted in the lock, in particular a so-called Euro-cylinder corresponding to the standard DIN V18254/07.91. This cylinder 12 is fixed in the lock by means of a screw 13 passing through little holes made in the lower side cover plate 4 and in the upstanding edge 6 of the base plate 5. The cylinder 12 is a key actuated cylinder comprises a rotary driving bit which rotates around a central axis of the cylinder to actuate a dead bolt 14 of the lock. Since the mechanism for actuating a dead bolt 14 by means of a key actuated lock cylinder is well known, it has not been shown in the figures and will not be further described. Instead, reference is made to the description and the figures of EP-B-1 118 739 disclosing the key operated dead bolt actuating mechanism of the lock illustrated in the figures. The entire content of this European patent in included herein by reference.
The cover box 2 is further provided with two additional aligned openings 15 through which the door handles 16 can be mounted to the lock. Both handles 16 are mounted onto one single square handle shaft so that both handles always move simultaneously. The illustrated lock further comprises a lock bolt 17 which is operated by means of the handles 16 to move it between a locking (see
The distance over which the latch bolt and the dead bolt of the lock illustrated in the figures projects out of the lock is adjustable due to the fact that the latch bolt and the dead bolt are provided with a projection 24 which is slidably mounted in the bolt and which can be displaced in the bolt through the intermediary of a set screw. For more details about this adjustment mechanism, reference is again made to EP-B-1 118 739, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
An essential difference between the lock disclosed in EP-B-1 118 739 and the lock illustrated in the figures is that the lock according to the invention comprises a pushbutton operated locking mechanism for locking the lock bolt, in particular the latch bolt. When locked by this mechanism, the latch bolt can still be moved to its retracted position when closing the door or gate, i.e. when pushing it in against the latch bolt spring 20, or, when a second turn lever is provided, by means of a second turn of the key operated cylinder 12. The locking mechanism thus functions to prevent the lock bolt from being moved by the lock bolt actuating mechanism to its retracted or unlocking position.
The locking mechanism comprises a first series of pushbuttons 25 on the front side of the lock and a second series of pushbuttons 25 on the back side of the lock. As illustrated in
The keyboards 26 have a circumferential groove by means of which they can be slid each in an upper, rectangular opening in the cover box 2. By means of a retainer element 32, which is fixed by a screw 31 to the lateral side of the lock, the keyboards 26 are prevented from being removed from the lock. As illustrated in
The locking mechanism further comprises two series of tumbler members 33, namely a first series of tumbler members which are movable between normal and depressed stable positions by means of the first series of pushbuttons 25 and a second series of tumbler members which are movable between normal and depressed stable positions by means of the second series of pushbuttons 25. The tumbler members 33 are arranged, on the one hand, in holes 34 in a frame component 35 which is fixed by means of pegs 36 and screws 37 to the cover box 2 and, on the other hand, in holes 38 in two check slides 39 which are slidably mounted on the frame component 35 (see
The tumbler members 33 each consist of a first tumbler element, composed of a base body 40 and a code body 41, and a second tumbler element 42. The base bodies 40 are slidably mounted in the holes 34 in the frame component 35. To be held in the two stable positions, the base bodies 40 each have two recesses on one lateral side which can be engaged by a spring detent 43, more particularly by leaf springs fixed against both sides of the frame component 35 and extending through slits therein into the holes 34. Instead of leaf springs, it is also possible to use spring detents comprising compression springs.
The code bodies 41 are of two different lengths and are removably fixed to the base bodies 40 to extend through axial holes provided therein. The code bodies 41 can for example be snapped in the holes in the base bodies 40. However, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the code bodies 41 are in the form of screws which can be screwed easily and reliably into the base bodies 40.
To enable to reset the tumbler members 33 after being depressed by the pushbuttons 25, i.e. in order to enable to return the tumbler members 33 to their normal stable position, a reset slide 44 is provided in each of the frame components 35. This reset slide 44 is biased by means of a spring 45 to its rest position and can be moved by depressing of the reset button 30, through the intermediary of a lever 46, against the spring bias. The reset slide 44 is provided with oblique cam surfaces (forming a kind of saw tooth) engaging an oblique bottom surface of the base bodies 40 to lift the tumbler elements 40, 41 to their normal positions when the reset slide 44 is moved against the spring bias. At the underside the frame component 35 comprises a bottom plate 47 which is fixed to the main part of the frame component by means of screws 48. The bottom plate 47 is provided with openings 49 which are part of the holes 34 in the frame component 35 and which are arranged to receive and guide the lower extremities of the code bodies 41.
The check slides 39 are guided on the frame components 35 along the bottom plates 47 and comprise a main body part 50, forming part of the holes 38 for slidably receiving the second tumbler elements 42, and a top plate 51 fixed by means of screws 52 to the main body part 50. The top plate 51 shows openings 53 which are part of the holes 38 in the frame component 35 and which are arranged to receive and guide the second tumbler elements 42. These second tumbler elements 42 are more particularly biased by means of springs 54 to project out of the openings 53 until a flange on the second tumbler elements 42 engages the top plate 51.
The check slides 39 are biased by means of springs 55 to their first or rest position. In that position the openings 49 in the bottom plate 47 (forming part of the holes 34 in the frame component 35) and the openings 53 in the top plate 53 (forming part of the holes 38 in the check slides 39) are situated opposite one another so that the second tumbler elements 42 are biased by means of the springs 54 against the first tumbler elements, more particularly against the code bodies 41 thereof. At least one of the first tumbler elements 40, 41 is a code tumbler element, which comprises a “short” code body 40 so that the corresponding second tumbler element 42 extends into the hole 34 in the frame component 35 to block the check slide 38 when all the tumbler members have been reset. The first tumbler elements 40, 41 may also comprise (and will normally comprise) one or more block tumbler elements, which comprise a “long” code body 40 having such a length that, in the reset position of the tumbler members, they push the corresponding second tumbler elements 42 into the holes 38 in the check slides 39, without projecting themselves into these holes 38. The block tumbler elements therefore do not block the reset slides when they are not depressed but they do block the reset slides when being depressed.
The blocked position of the check slide 39 when all of the tumbler members 33 have been reset is illustrated in
In order to enable to unlock the locking mechanism either with the pushbuttons on the front side of the lock or with the pushbuttons on the back side of the lock, the lock according to the invention comprises a selector 59, illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the latch bolt lever 22 does not only act upon the projection 24 on the latch bolt 17 but extends further to engage a lever 60 which is pivoted about a pivot 61 fixed to the frame (see
The selector 59 is slidably mounted on the frame, more particularly onto a shaft 62 having one end fixed to the cover box 2 and the other end fixed to the upstanding edge 6 of the base plate 5. The selector 59 comprises a main body part 63 and a switch element 64 pivotally mounted about a pivot 65 on the main body part 63 of the selector 59. In the figures the switch element 64 is a triangular element, one side of which is in engagement with the first check slide 39 and another side of which is in engagement with the second check slide 39.
In this way, when both check slides are blocked, the selector 59 cannot move along the shaft 62 and blocks the lever 60 and thereby also the latch bolt lever 22 so that the latch bolt actuating mechanism is locked. When one of the check slides 39 is however released whilst the other remains blocked (unlocking of the lock from one side of the lock), the switch element 64 switches automatically to the check slide which is released. In fact, the sides of the switch element form cam surfaces which engage cams formed by the (edges of the) check slides so that the switch element automatically pivots towards the released check slide when the selector is pushed against the check slides. It is also possible to round the edges of check slides so that these rounded edges form cam surfaces whilst the switch element forms cams sliding along these cam surfaces. The triangular switch element 64 illustrated in the figures is in fact a lever having a first lever arm situated on one side of the pivot 65 and engaging the first check slide and a second lever arm situated on the opposite side of the pivot 65 and engaging the second check slide 39.
An alternative embodiment of the selector 59 and of the lever 60 is illustrated in
In another embodiment, which has not been illustrated in the drawings, the switch element could be modified so that it would no longer automatically switch to the released check slide but so that the person who wants to unlock the lock has to push in for example a pushbutton which moves the selector to the check slide which can be released from the side of the lock where the person is present. Since such an embodiment is more complex and less user friendly, it is less preferred. A first advantage of the lock illustrated in the drawings is that the number combination may be different on both sides of the lock and can easily be changed, as illustrated in
A further advantage is that one of the keyboards 26 may even be replaced by a keyboard with only one large pushbutton 68 so that the lock can very easily be unlocked from one side of the door or gate. Such a possibility is illustrated in
The embodiment illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the security slide 69 is normally held in the first position by the selector 59, more particularly under the bias of a relatively strong additional coil spring 73, and biased towards the second position by a less strong spiral spring 72. In this way, if the selector 59 moves slightly due to actuation of the lock handle 16 as illustrated in
Although in the
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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06101116 | Jan 2006 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2006/069691 | 12/13/2006 | WO | 00 | 7/28/2008 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2007/087932 | 8/9/2007 | WO | A |
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512619 | Nov 1930 | DE |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20090013737 A1 | Jan 2009 | US |