Pneumatic door lock

• US 6,106,032 A
• Filed: 09/15/1997
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Festo AG (Festo SE & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Festo AG (Festo SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Och, Mathias
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US08/849,327
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/207, 292/92, 292/93, 292/DIG. 48, 292/DIG. 66, 292/195, 292/DIG. 57, 292/DIG. 38, 70/275
• US Class Current: 292/207
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/0053 means providing a stable, i.e. indexed, position of lock parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/007 Devices for reducing friction between lock parts E05B17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 51/02 by pneumatic or hydraulic means E05B17/0029 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/104 actuated in response to heat, e.g. with fusible element, bimetal, memory shape or swelling material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1075 Operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1089 Sliding catch

Abstract

The invention concerns a lock for doors or operationally similar structures, the lock mechanism being manually actuated with the aid of pneumatic means, without the need for external energy. Means for manually producing overpressure are rigidly connected to a door. Further means are provided for converting the overpressure into a mechanical movement of parts of the closure mechanism, such that there is no longer any force-locking connection between the door and a counterpart in the door frame whereby the door can be opened.

Claims

1. A lock for a door and frame structure comprising a locking mechanism for attachment to said door or frame section and a counterpart for attachment to the opposing one of said door or frame section, whereby in the closed condition a pressure locked connection exists between the locking mechanism and the counterpart, the improvement comprising:

an airtight hollow body (4) is provided, manually compressible and thereby reducible in its internal volume, with which an excess pressure can be created manually,

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes an actuator (30) for the conversion of an overpressure into a mechanical movement of parts (12,

     15) of the locking mechanism (6-20) and this actuator (30) is connected to the hollow body (4) by at least one primary connecting tube (5),

by movement of parts (12,

     15) of the locking mechanism (6-20) the pressure locked connection between the locking mechanism (6-20) and the counterpart (21) is removed,

the actuator (30) comprises a pressure cylinder (6), a pressure piston (7) which can move within it and a similarly movable piston rod (8) connected to it,

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes a locking bolt (12) which slides linearly along its axis,

the locking bolt (12) is in pressure locking contact with a movable part (8) of the actuator (30),

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes a rotating bolt (15) which is assembled so that it can turn through a determined angular region,

the rotating bolt (15) is in pressure locking contact with the counterpart (21) during the meeting of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

the rotating bolt (15) includes a locking notch (17) and a detent notch (18),

wherein the counterpart (21) captures a part of the rotating bolt (15) extending out of the lock and turns it so that the detent notch (18) comes to rest adjacent to the locking bolt (12) during the separation of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

wherein the counterpart (21) again captures the extending part of the rotating bolt (15) and turns it so that the locking notch (17) comes to rest adjacent to the locking bolt (12) during the meeting of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

a first spring (20,29) is present, which is in pressure contact with the locking bolt (12),

when the locking mechanism is engaged in the counterpart, the first spring (20,29) pushes the locking bolt (12) into the locking notch (17) and thereby fixes the rotating bolt in this position by pressure locking,

when the locking mechanism is disengaged from the counterpart, the first spring (20,29) pushes the locking bolt (12) into the detent notch (18) and thus holds the rotating bolt (15) in a stable position but where the rotating bolt (15) can be forced out of the stable position,

one end of the locking bolt (12) includes means (14) to reduce frictional resistance,

the rotating bolt (15) includes means (19) for reducing fictional resistance at its end directed against the counterpart (21).

4. A lock according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein

a fire safety means (27, 31) including a spring block (27) is present,

the spring block (27) contains a pre-compressed second spring (31),

the second spring is cast into a material, which will melt as a result of temperatures encountered during a fire,

the locking bolt (12) includes a protrusion (26)

the spring block (27) is positioned so that the second spring exerts a force on the protrusion (26) after the melting of the material,

this force is sufficient to move the locking bolt (12) against the resistance of the first spring (20, 29) so that it releases the rotating bolt (15).

5. A lock according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein

between the actuator (30) and the locking bolt (12) a mechanical power converter (9, 10, 11, 13) is present, which has a hinge joint (9), a guide axis (10) and a conversion rod (11),

the locking bolt (12) has a cut out (13),

the conversion rod (11) is joined in a hinged manner at one end via the hinge joint (9) to a movable part (8) of the actuator (30),

the conversion rod (11) is assembled so that it can turn within a determined angular region about the guide axis (10),

the other end of the conversion rod (11) engages in the cut out (13) of the locking bolt (12).

6. A lock according to claim 5, wherein

a fire safety means (27, 31) including a spring block (27) is present,

the spring block (27) contains a pre-compressed second spring (31),

the second spring is cast into a material, which will melt as a result of temperatures encountered during a fire,

the locking bolt (12) includes a protrusion (26)

the spring block (27) is positioned so that the second spring exerts a force on the protrusion (26) after the melting of the material,

this force is sufficient to move the locking bolt (12) against the resistance of the first spring (20, 29) so that it releases the rotating bolt (15).

2. A lock for a door and frame structure comprising a locking mechanism for attachment to said door or frame section and a counterpart for attachment to the opposing one of said door or frame section, whereby in the closed condition a pressure locked connection exists between the locking mechanism and the counterpart, the improvement comprising:

an airtight hollow body (4) is provided, manually compressible and thereby reducible in its internal volume, with which an excess pressure can be created manually,

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes an actuator (30) for the conversion of an overpressure into a mechanical movement of parts (12,

     15) of the locking mechanism (6-20) and this actuator (30) is connected to the hollow body (4) by at least one primary connecting tube (5),

by movement of parts (12,

     15) of the locking mechanism (6-20) the pressure locked connection between the locking mechanism (6-20) and the counterpart (21) is removed,

wherein the actuator (30) comprises a bellows,

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes a locking bolt (12) which slides linearly along its axis,

the locking bolt (12) is in pressure locking contact with a movable part (8) of the actuator (30),

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes a rotating bolt (15) which is assembled so that it can turn through a determined angular region,

the rotating bolt (15) is in pressure locking contact with the counterpart (21) during the meeting of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

the rotating bolt (15) includes a locking notch (17) and a detent notch (18),

wherein the counterpart (21) captures a part of the rotating bolt (15) extending out of the lock and turns it so that the detent notch (18) comes to rest adjacent to the locking bolt (12) during the separation of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

wherein the counterpart (21) again captures the extending part of the rotating bolt (15) and turns it so that the locking notch (17) comes to rest adjacent to the locking bolt (12) during the meeting of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

a first spring (20,29) is present, which is in pressure contact with the locking bolt (12),

when the locking mechanism is engaged in the counterpart, the first spring (20,29) pushes the locking bolt (12) into the locking notch (17) and thereby fixes the rotating bolt in this position by pressure locking,

when the locking mechanism is disengaged from the counterpart, the first spring (20,29) pushes the locking bolt (12) into the detent notch (18) and thus holds the rotating bolt (15) in a stable position but where the rotating bolt (15) can be forced out of the stable position,

one end of the locking bolt (12) includes means (14) to reduce frictional resistance,

the rotating bolt (15) includes means (19) for reducing frictional resistance at its end directed against the counterpart (21).

3. A lock for a door and frame structure comprising a locking mechanism for attachment to said door or frame section and a counterpart for attachment to the opposing one of said door or frame section, whereby in the closed condition a pressure locked connection exists between the locking mechanism and the counterpart, the improvement comprising:

an airtight hollow body (4) is provided, manually compressible and thereby reducible in its internal volume, with which an excess pressure can be created manually,

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes an actuator (30) for the conversion of an overpressure into a mechanical movement of parts (12,

     15) of the locking mechanism (6-20) and this actuator (30) is connected to the hollow body (4) by at least one primary connecting tube (5),

by movement of parts (12,

     15) of the locking mechanism (6-20) the pressure locked connection between the locking mechanism (6-20) and the counterpart (21) is removed,

wherein at least one valve (25) is present and is connected by airtight means via secondary tubes (22) in series between the at least one hollow body (4) and the actuator (30), wherein

a mechanical means is connected to each of said at least one valves (25) for opening said valve, and

wherein opening of at least one valve (25) interrupts the transmission of the overpressure in the secondary tubes (22) to the actuator (30),

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes a locking bolt (12) which slides linearly along its axis,

the locking bolt (12) is in pressure locking contact with a movable part (8) of the actuator (30),

the locking mechanism (6-20) includes a rotating bolt (15) which is assembled so that it can turn through a determined angular region,

the rotating bolt (15) is in pressure locking contact with the counterpart (21) during the meeting of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

the rotating bolt (15) includes a locking notch (17) and a detent notch (18),

wherein the counterpart (21) captures a part of the rotating bolt (15) extending out of the lock and turns it so that the detent notch (18) comes to rest adjacent to the locking bolt (12) during the separation of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

wherein the counterpart (21) again captures the extending part of the rotating bolt (15) and turns it so that the locking notch (17) comes to rest adjacent to the locking bolt (12) during the meeting of the locking mechanism and the counterpart,

a first spring (20,29) is present, which is in pressure contact with the locking bolt (12),

when the locking mechanism is engaged in the counterpart, the first spring (20,29) pushes the locking bolt (12) into the locking notch (17) and thereby fixes the rotating bolt in this position by pressure locking,

when the locking mechanism is disengaged from the counterpart, the first spring (20,29) pushes the locking bolt (12) into the detent notch (18) and thus holds the rotating bolt (15) in a stable position but where the rotating bolt (15) can be forced out of the stable position,

one end of the locking bolt (12) includes means (14) to reduce frictional resistance,

the rotating bolt (15) includes means (19) for reducing frictional resistance at its end directed against the counterpart (21).