a) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a rotating-lock closure provided with a traction unit, which comprises a closure housing that has a socket key opening on one outside end and a rotating lock on the other, inside end; which can be inserted with one end through a passageway matching the outside cross-section of the housing and which is in a wall, for example, a door leaf; and which can be fixed in position; with a first bearing area which is open to the outside end and coaxial with the housing axis and which is intended for the socket key receiving head, as well as a second bearing area open toward the opposite end of the housing that connects with the first bearing area and which is intended for the rotating-lock driving support that supports said rotating lock and is mounted so as to be capable of axial and sliding displacement and of rotation in the second bearing area, wherein a coupling device is to be provided between the key receiving head and the rotating-lock, and wherein the closure is to be provided with a cam pin/cam track device for the rotation and/or axial displacement of the rotating-lock relative to the key receiving head and a limited angular play/freewheeling exists between the key receiving head and the rotating-lock.
b) Description of the Related Art
Such a rotating-lock closure is already known, cf. DE 35 04 691 C2.
Furthermore, the closure arrangement according to DE 35 02 418 C2, which is of a similar design, should also be referred to.
U.S. Pat No. 2,269,264 is also of interest.
All three known closures work like this: when the lock or sash lock is operated for the purpose of closing, it is at first rotated into the door-closing position. This normally means a rotation of 90 degrees. If the operating handle is rotated further after this, a traction movement takes place by means of which the lock is pulled towards a surface behind which it engages (rear engaging surface) so that a force of pressure is attained between, for example, the door and the door frame. This combined rotating and axial movement is attained by means of a cam pin/cam track device; in the case of DE 35 02 418 C2, this is arranged in the handle levering area, while for DE 35 04 691 this has been moved into the inside of the lock housing and is in the shape of a sleeve arranged between the lock housing on the one side and the shaft holding the lock on the other side; in it, slits are arranged that run axially and diagonally in which the ends of a cam pin, realized as a transverse pin inserted in the shaft bearing the lock, slide. U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,264 does not have this housing. Instead, an operating shaft 21 with an operating head 22 is held so that it can rotate inside a holding plate 15 which is riveted to a flap 13 that can be hung on the frame 10. The holding plate 15 forms back stops 18 and guides 16 for a lock (sash lock) 23 which is supported by a sleeve 24 provided with cam tracks 28. The end of the operating shaft 21 facing away from the operating head 22 support cam pins 28 sliding in cam tracks 28 while under pressure from a spiral spring 29 arranged between the holding plate 15 and the lock 23.
The disadvantages of prior art lie in the complicated construction which results in increased production costs and laborious assembly. For example, the closure according to DE 35 04 691 C2, cf. its FIG. 2, comprises a closure housing with a flange, which can be mounted in a wall with two screws (or alternatively with a union nut); a key receiving head held in the housing by a retainer ring; a rotating-lock driving support mounted in this so as to be capable of axial and sliding displacement which supports the rotating-lock, the lock being fixed to this support by means of two nuts; a pin which goes transversely through the support and the ends of which are guided in the cam tracks of a sleeve that needs to be produced separately in a complicated punching process and which in turn is arranged inside the housing and coupled to the receiving head in a manner that permits rotation. Finally, there is a pressure spring which pushes the shaft towards the outside, that is towards the open position.
This means that the arrangement known from DE 35 04 691 CS consists of ten parts, some of which have to be produced in a complicated manner.
The closure known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,264 needs a lot of space, is not protected against dirt, since it has no housing, and mounting the holding plate on the flap requires laborious riveting.
It is the primary object of the invention to create a rotating-lock closure of the type mentioned in the beginning which is made of significantly less parts that are simpler to produce and which therefore is cheaper to produce and easier to assemble.
This object is met by the fact that a shaft having a rounded cross section and extending from the key receiving head protrudes beyond to the rotating-lock driving support and has a transverse opening at its protruding end for receiving a cam pin. A cam track, on which the pin is guided against the force of a spring, is formed by the side of the lock facing away from the housing. The outer periphery of the lock driving support has a non-rounded cross section and is capable, in a passageway also having a non-rounded cross section, of axial and sliding displacement in a first portion of the second bearing area and of limited rotation in a second portion of the second bearing area. Such an arrangement has significantly less parts, for example only six parts. This makes it cheaper to produce and easier to assemble. The cam track is on the outside and can be injection-molded in simple injection molds. The coupling device is protected inside the housing and is of a particularly simple construction because the bearing area portions are smaller than, for example, the arrangement in U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,264. The rotation capability is preferably to be restricted to about 90 degrees.
It is advantageous if the non-rounded cross section of the lock driving support is a parallelogram with rounded corners.
The non-rounded cross section of the passageway in the second portion of the second bearing area could consist of two opposing segments of a circle connected with each other by two parallel side walls or by lug areas projecting into the lumen of the passageway.
With regards to the housing, it is advantageous if the housing is divided into the first and second bearing area by a dividing or partition wall, this dividing wall having a circular passageway for the passage of the shaft which starting at the key receiving head penetrates the lock driving support. In this manner, the use of a retainer ring is avoided.
According to another, different development, the key receiving head supports itself by a rear ring shoulder on the dividing wall and in the first bearing area.
In the second bearing area, a spiral pressure spring supports itself on the dividing wall on one side and on the face of the of the lock driving support on the other side.
It is particularly advantageous if the rotating-lock forms a reinforcing wall which encloses the cam track in a circle and which stops the cam pin from sliding out. By means of this, fixing the cam pin by means of an interference fit is no longer necessary, which makes disassembly as well as assembly significantly easier.
The rotating lock could form a constriction which is directed towards the housing and which permits the insertion of the tongue of the rotating lock and also of the assembled housing, meaning the completely assembled closure, through an opening in a thin wall (and, if necessary, the pushing-on of a union nut). This is also a feature which makes mounting a lot easier, since rotating-lock closures can be mounted in a thin wall ready-assembled.
Such a rotating-lock is particularly advantageous when the rotating-lock closure consists of a closure housing which has a flange on the one, outside end and which can be passed through a passageway matching the outside cross section and being situated in a thin wall, for example a door leaf, by the other, inside end until the flange rests on the wall, and can be fixed in this position by means of a union nut, a retaining clip or something similar.
As an alternative, a rotating-lock closure can be envisaged that has a closure housing which has a flange or attaching lug at the one (inside) end and which can be passed through a passageway matching the outside cross section and being situated in a thick wall, for example a door leaf, by the other (outside) end until the flange rests on the wall, and can be fixed in this position by means of holding washers and/or screws.
According to another different embodiment of the invention, the rotating-lock can have a thread on its free end for receiving an adjusting screw the head of which forms an adjustable rotating-lock support surface. This permits additional adjustment of depth and force of pressure.
According to a further development of the invention, the rotating-lock closure comprises a lock receiving part which can be fixed to the housing or frame or something similar and which forms the surface behind which the rotating-lock engages. Such a rotating-lock closure can advantageously be lodged in the free space between, for example, the frame and the folded portion of door.
The lock receiving part preferably forms two rear engaging surfaces which are situated diametrically opposite each other. This has the advantage of making it possible for the rotating-lock to be toggle-shaped, as it is to be provided according to another embodiment form of the invention, which makes it possible in an advantageous manner that the lever-like rotating-lock inserts itself without jamming after a 90 degree rotation in the lock receiving part on the frame when closing the door and, for example, aligns the door vertically. After another 90 degree rotation, the lever-like lock part or tongue is tightened.
The big advantage compared with customary rotating-lock closures for which the traction movement along the rotation axis happens at the same time as the rotation movement of the lock (xe2x80x9csash lockxe2x80x9d) into the closed position (for example by chamfering the leading surfaces of the lock, cf. for example the stepped tongue according to catalogue page 1-2000 of the 1996 catalogue of the company DIRAK or according to EP 0058931) and where because of this and by means of friction forces the door leaf is displaced and distorted relative to the door frame and vertical to the axis of rotation, is the exact alignment right at the beginning of the closing process.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds