The present invention concerns a motorised security locking system intended to be placed on the door of a high security enclosure, such as a safe or strong room door, for example of a bank.
This motorised security locking system can assure the direct or indirect locking of the door. In the first case, it is mounted so that its lock rail slides into a door keeper provided for this purpose in the door frame. In the second case, it is installed on a strong room door as shown schematically in FIG. 1 annexed hereto.
As shown in FIG. 1, a door PO of a safe or any other security enclosure (this door being seen from the interior in FIG. 1) is generally locked, using several sliding bolts PT controlled by a boltwork assembly TR. This boltwork assembly TR includes a bar B which controls the movement of sliding bolts PT of door PO and which is coupled to a control wheel VO via a rack type mechanism.
This bar B can be moved in translation, via the action of wheel VO, to cause the movement of sliding bolts PT and to assure the door locking (sliding bolts out) and unlocking (sliding bolts in) operations.
In order to prevent door PO opening and to hold boltwork assembly TR in the locking position, this assembly includes a first lock S, itself provided with a sliding bolt PS designed to engage in bar B and block the movement in translation thereof.
However, in order to further increase the level of security and to prevent fraudulent use of this first lock S, a second motorised security type lock SSM may be associated with it guaranteeing so-called xe2x80x9cindirectxe2x80x9d locking of the door.
This lock SSM also includes its own sliding bolt PV, arranged to position itself on the trajectory of bar B in order to obstruct its movement to its unlocking position. In the high position of sliding bolt PV shown in FIG. 1, bar B abuts via its rear end against sliding bolt PV.
The movement of sliding bolt PV is assured by a motor M, controlled by electronic means EL. As a result of these electronic means, it is possible to programme time ranges during which sliding bolt PV prohibits bar B from sliding, even if the opening of first lock S is ordered by a valid signal, i.e. a recognised opening key or code. Security is thus doubled by preventing even authorised personnel from opening the door.
Such an electronic motorised, self-blocking security locking system for a secure door is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,922 of the prior art. This locking system includes:
a case;
a reversible electric motor (with dual rotational direction);
a sliding bolt which is mobile in translation; and
connection means for transmitting the driving force originating from the electric motor to the sliding bolt and allowing said sliding bolt to be moved from an unlocking position to a locking position and vice versa.
The movement in translation of the sliding bolt between these two end positions is assured by the rotation of the motor alternately in the clockwise and anticlockwise direction.
This device of the prior art thus has the drawback of using an electric motor with two rotational directions to drive the sliding bolt in translation in both directions. This type of motor has a more complicated structure than a motor with a single rotational direction, includes more components and the electronic control thereof is more complex. This motor is thus more frequently subject to breakdown or malfunction.
If a malfunction of motor M or electronic means EL occurs when door PO is in the locked position (sliding bolts PT out), it is then completely impossible to open the door, since sliding bolt PV of lock SSM physically blocks the movement of bar B of the boltwork assembly.
This lock SSM is designed and positioned on door PO to be inviolate, i.e. inaccessible and indestructible, which prevents any access and repairs, even by security teams.
Consequently, in order to have access to the interior of the protected enclosure, it is necessary to destroy the enclosure by making a hole in the wall thereof, or to destroy the door. In any case, it is necessary to damage the security enclosure, which is extremely expensive, both for the cost of repairing the damaged materials and devices and the cost of intervention by specialised technical teams.
Further, these operations for opening and repairing the enclosure and the door can require several hours, or even several days, to perform. During this time, access to the interior of the enclosure is prohibited, which can thus prove detrimental.
Moreover, in the security locking system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,922, the motor axis is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sliding bolt which causes significant space requirement particularly in the longitudinal direction.
It would thus be desirable to be able to leave sufficient place in the case to accommodate additional detectors, without it being necessary to increase the outer dimensions of the case. In fact these dimensions are standardised, so that the locking system can be introduced into a standard recess arranged on the door, without any subsequent alterations thereto.
The object of the invention is thus to overcome the aforecited drawbacks by providing a more reliable and compact device.
This object is achieved with a motorised security locking system including:
a case,
a sliding bolt able to move in translation between an xe2x80x9cinxe2x80x9d position and an xe2x80x9coutxe2x80x9d position, this sliding bolt including a front end face, a back end face, two lateral faces, a first and second longitudinal faces,
means for controlling the movement of the sliding bolt including a motor, means for actuating the motor, and means for connecting the motor to the sliding bolt, to transmit the drive force from the motor to the sliding bolt and to assure the movement thereof. According to the features of the invention this motor is a motor with a single rotational direction.
As a result of the features of the invention, the security locking system is more reliable since the motor used rotates in one direction only and is thus less liable to break down.
Preferably, the means for connecting the motor to the sliding bolt include:
a circular cam driven in rotation by the motor, and
a drive lever connected at one of its ends, by first fixing means, to said cam and at the other end, by second fixing means, to the sliding bolt.
According to the invention, the locking system includes means for storing the position of the sliding bolt, programmed by the sliding bolt movement control means, which, when the sliding bolt xe2x80x9cinxe2x80x9d position has been programmed but the sliding bolt is blocked outside the case, allow the sliding bolt to be returned to this position, or conversely, when the sliding bolt xe2x80x9coutxe2x80x9d position has been programmed but the sliding bolt is blocked inside the case, allows the sliding bolt to be returned to this position, as soon as the blockage ends.
More precisely, the programmed sliding bolt position storage means include a spring clip including a helical winding and two radial arms, this spring being mounted on the first longitudinal face of the sliding bolt and the means connecting the motor to the sliding bolt can wind this spring clip in the event that the sliding bolt is locked in a different position to that programmed by the sliding bolt movement control means, so that the spring clip can return the sliding bolt to the programmed position as soon as the blockage ends.
In the aforecited prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,922), when the motor acts to return the sliding bolt to the xe2x80x9cinxe2x80x9d position, it compresses a coil spring and the force that the motor has to exert to move the sliding bolt increases progressively with the compression of said coil spring. Consequently, the motor puts a higher demand or the power source which powers it. This power source is often an autonomous battery or cell which has difficulty tolerating abrupt variations in power demand, especially when the battery begins to run down. The locking system according to the invention avoids using this coil spring and the drawbacks linked thereto. The device according to the invention is thus more reliable.
Moreover, when a spring clip is used to return the sliding bolt into the programmed position as soon as the blockage exerted on the sliding bolt ends, the force exerted by the arms of the spring clip on the sliding bolt is constant whatever the distance between the arms.
Finally, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the axis of the motor shaft is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sliding bolt and parallel to the plane of the longitudinal surfaces of the sliding bolt.
This position of the motor frees space inside the case to place different sensors, such as temperature or pressure sensor or seismic sensors, for example. These sensors can be used to send data to the motor actuation means in order to close the locking system in the event of intrusion by a blow torch attack or a tool generating vibrations.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds