GB2301142A

GB2301142A - An electronic lock

Info

Publication number: GB2301142A
Application number: GB9602365A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Robin Myers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-05-25
Filing date: 1996-02-06
Publication date: 1996-11-27
Also published as: GB9602365D0; GB9510685D0

Abstract

An electric lock comprising a lock body (2), a locking member (4) mounted in the lock body (2), a handle, stop means (8) which is electrically operated and which is for stopping the locking member (4) moving from a locked position to an unlocked position, control means (10), receiver means (12) for causing operation of the stop means (8), and battery connecting means for connecting to at least one battery for operating the receiver means (12) and the stop means (8), the electric lock being such that movement of the handle causes movement of the locking member (4) whereby a person's hand is used to provide the force required to move the locking member (4) from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby saving on battery power.

Description

AN ELECTRIC LOCK This invention relates to an electric lock.

Electric locks are known but they are generally mains operated. Mains electricity is usually required in order to provide sufficient power to move various parts of the electric lock. For ease of fitting, for example by home-owners on a Do-It-Yourself basis, a mains operated electric lock provides problems in that it has to be connected up to the mains electricity and many persons do not like doing this. The connection to the mains also requires wires which are often regarded as being unsightly. It would be an advantage if the electric lock could be powered by one or more batteries because the electric lock would then be easier to install and unsightly mains wires would be avoided.However, battery operation gives its own problems because the power available from a battery is likely to be either not sufficient to move the various lock parts, or not sufficient to enable the electric lock to work for a reasonable period of time before new batteries are required.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems by providing an electric lock which is battery operated, thereby avoiding the above mentioned problems associated with mains powered electric locks, and which is also such that it is able to operate for a commercially sustainable period before the battery or batteries need replacing.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided an electric lock comprising a lock body, a locking member which is mounted in the lock body and which is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, a handle which extends from the lock body and which is movable by hand, stop means which is electrically operated and which is for stopping the locking member moving from the locked position to the unlocked position, control means, receiver means which consequent upon receiving signals from the control means causes operation of the stop means such that the locking member is allowed to be moved to the unlocked position, battery connecting means for connecting to at least one battery for operating the receiver means and the stop means, and the electric lock being such that the handle is connected to the locking member such that movement of the handle causes movement of the locking member from the locked position t the unlocked position whereby a person's hand is used to provide the force required to move the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position.

It will be appreciated that the battery only has to operate the receiver means and the stop means. The battery does not have to operate the locking member but it is the operation of the locking member that requires the most power. With the electric lock of the present invention, this is done manually. The manual operation thus saves much battery power and enables the electric lock to operate for a commercially acceptable period of time before the battery or batteries need to be replaced.

Usually, the electric lock will be one in which the handle is connected to the locking member such that the movement of the handle also causes the movement of the locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position. This provides a simple and convenient way of further saving on battery power and simply requiring a person to move the handle one way for an unlocking movement and to move the handle the opposite way for a locking movement.

Alternative arrangements may be employed in which, for example, a return spring moves the locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position.

Preferably, the handle is a rotateable handle.

The rotateable handle may be in the form of a rotateable knob or a rotateable lever. Other types of handle may be employed so that, for example, the handle may be a pull lever handle.

Preferably, the stop means is a solenoid operated locking pin. Other types of stop means may be employed.

Where the stop means is a solenoid operated locking pin, then the locking pin preferably locates in a groove in the locking member.

The locking member is preferably a bolt member.

The electric lock is then preferably a deadlock. The electric lock is probably made in the form of a mortice lock but it may be made in the form of a rim lock if desired. Other types of locking member than a bolt member may be employed so that, for example, if desired, the locking member may be in the form of a latch member.

Usually, the stop means will move from a stop position in which it stops movement of the locking member to a non-stop position in which it permits movement of the locking member. The stop means may return to the stcp position under gravity.

Alternatively, .he electric lock may include biasing means for biasing the stop means to the stop position.

The biasing means may be a spring biasing means.

The control means may be a remote control means.

The remote control means may be an infrared operated remote control means, or a radio operated remote control means. The remote control means may be of the type widely used for effecting remote control of vehicle doors by transmitting an appropriate signal.

The remote control means may be in the form of a key fob. If desired, tha control means may alternatively be a swipe card, a digital code device or any suitable and appropriate control means requiring physical contact with the electric lock for effecting the control.

Usually, the battery connecting means will be terminals for receiving one or more 9 volt batteries.

Batteries of other voltages may however be employed.

The battery or batteries may be housed where appropriate, for example external to the lock body.

The electric lock may include means for causing the stop means to be moved to its non-stop position for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time will be sufficient to give the person time to move the handle. Thus, for example, the period of time may be five seconds. Any suitable and appropriate period of time may be employed. The electric lock may include means for varying this period of time as may be required by users of the electric lock. The electric lock may include appropriate electronic circuitry, for example a transistor and a pic for providing the required predetermined period of time.

Advantageously, the electric lock includes manual override means for opening the electric lock. The manual override means is preferably operable from both inside and outside of premises using the electrical lock.

The manual override means is preferably a key operated manual override means. Such a key operated manual override means may comprise a lug which is moved by the key, and a lever which is moved by the lug, the lever being such that it moves the stop means, and the lug bens such that it also moves the locking member to the unlocked position. Preferably, the electric lock is one in which the lever only moves the stop means to a non-stop position, and the lug only moves the locking member to the unlocked position. The stop means and the locking member can then be returned to their locked positions by the above described means.

The electric lock may include an on/off switch.

The on/off switch may be used to turn the electric lock off when a person is inside their premises, for example a home, office or factory. The turning off of the electric lock first of all saves battery life and secondly can be advantageous in homes at night time where the electric lock can be effectively deactivated in its locking position. When the electric lock is so deactivated, the remote control transmitter means will not operate and thus there is no possibility of anybody using another remote control transmitter means and opening the electric lock at night.

The on/off switch is preferably mounted in a separate container which also contains the batteries.

This separate container can be mounted inside the premises such for example as a house, at any convenient and appropriate position, usually quite near to the remainder of the electric lock.

When the control means is a remote control means, then the remote control means may be one which automatically changes its code after it has transmitted a signal or signals. Such remote control transmitter means exist and they have an extremely wide choice of codes. This prevents potential burglars with sophisticated electronic equipment known as grabbing equipment from trying to obtain the code as it is being transmitted. If such persons do obtain the transmitted code, it will not help them to operate the electric lock because the remote control transmitter means will then be operating on the next code, which will usually be a randomly chosen code.

The electric lock of the present invention is able to provide good security using the above mentioned remote control transmitter means which is able to operate with a multiplicity of codes which change after each use of the remote control transmitter means. The receiver means automatically receives the new code and acts upon it. The electric lock is also able to provide good security in that it moves the lock member, rather than moving a part of a strike plate. If the electric lock were to move a part of the strike plate, then this would make the electric lock weak. By not moving the strike plate, a fixed strike plate can be used and this considerably reduces the chances of a burglar forcing entry by bursting open the lock because the strike plate will not be inclined to give. The strike plate can be made of a robust construction.If the strike plate were to have a movable part, then this is the part that would be most likely to give if a burglar tried to force the electronic lock open.

The electronic lock will normally be sold with a strike plate.

The electronic lock may be sold with or without one or more batteries.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a lock body part of the electric lock, with a cover of the lock body removed to show inner working parts inside the lock body; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a separate container part of the electronic lock; Figure 3 is a perspective view of remote control transmitter means; Figure 4 is a frcnt view of the container shown in Figure 2 but with the cover removed to show inside parts in the container; Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show the lock part of Figure 1 but in four progressive stages of movement as a manual override means is being operated; Figure 9 is a side view looking from left to right as shown in Figure 1; Figure 10 is a side view looking from right to left as shown in Figure 1;; Figures 11 and 12 are respectively front and side views of a handle connec,:ing arrangement as shown in Figure 1; Figure 13 is a side view of a locking member as shown in Figure 1; Figure 14 is an end view of the locking member looking from left to right as shown in Figure 13; Figure 15 is a top view of the locking member as shown in Figure 13; Figure 16 is a bottom view of the locking member as shown in Figure 13; Figure 17 is a front view of a lever shown in Figure 1; Figure 18 is a top view of the lever shown in Figure 17; Figure 19 is a side view of a lock cover for the lock body shown in Figure 1; and Figure 20 is an end view of the lock cover looking from right to left as shown in Figure 19.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an electric lock comprising a lock body 2. A locking member 4 is mounted in the lock body 2 and it is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A handle having a spindle 6 extends from the lock body 2. The handle is movable by hand such that rotation of the handle causes rotation of the spindle 6.

The lock body 2 also includes stop means 8 which is electrically operated and which is for stopping the locking member 4 from moving from the locked position to the unlocked position.

The electric lock also comprises remote control transmitter means 10 and receiver means 12. The receiver means 12 is mounted in a box 14 having a body 16 and a cover 18. The remote control transmitter means 10 is shown in Figure 3 and the box 14 is shown in Figures 2 and 4.

The receiver means 12 operates such that, consequent upon receiving signals from the remote control transmitter means 10, the receiver means 12 causes operation of the stop means 8 such that the locking member 4 is allowed to move to the unlocked position, which unlocked position is shown in Figure 1. The body > of the box 14 is provided with battery terminals 20 for a 9 volt battery 22. The battery 22 is for operating the receiver means 12 and the stop means 8.

The electric lock is such that the handle and its spindle 6 are connected to the locking member 4 such that movement of the handle causes movement of the locking member 4 from the locked position shown in Figure 5 to the unlocked position shown in Figure 1.

The reverse rotation of the handle causes movement of the locking member 4 fro. the unlocked position to the locked position. It will thus be apparent that a person's hand is used to provide the force to move the locking member backwards and forwards. The force needed to move the locking member backwards and forwards is relatively substantial and if this were effected electrically by the battery 22, then the battery 22 would very soon run down and it would need to be replaced at an unconomical rate. The electric lock is thus advantageous in that the major power required is provided by a person's hand. Still further, because the person only has to turn the handle to the lock, the person is exerting a perfectly natural movement because virtually all locks are associated with a handle. All the battery 22 has to do is to provide power for the receiver means 12 and the stop means 8. The receiver means 12 uses very little power. The stop means 8 uses more power but it is only operated for short periods of time when the stop means has te be moved to allow the lock member to move from the locked position to the unlocked position. Thus there is not a great drain on the battery 2 an- the battery 2 is able to last and not require premature replacement.

The handle (not shown) may be a lever handle or a knob. The handle will simply be rotated backwards and forwards to cause appropriate rotation of the spindle 6.

The stop means 8 comprises a solenoid 24 which operates a locking pin 26. The locking pin 26 locates in a groove 28 in the locking member 4. As can best be seen from Figures 13 - 16, the locking member is in the form of a bolt member. The locking pin 26 moves from a stop position as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 5 to a non-stop position as shown in Figure 6. In the non-stop position shown in Figure 6, the raising of the locking pin 26 will usually be effected by the solenoid 24. In the non-stop position of the locking pin 26, the locking member 4 is able to move. When power from the battery 22 to the solenoid 24 is cut, the solenoid 24 allows the locking pin 26 to drop back under gravity to its locking position.

The remote control transmitter means 10 is in the form of a key fob as shown in Figure 3. The key fob has an apertured lug 30 for receiving a key ring and keys. The r-emote control transmitter means 10 has a control button 32 and a light emitting diode 34 which glows red when the control button 32 is pressed. The remote control transmitter means 10 may be the type of device that is widely used for central locking systems in cars. The remote control transmitter means 10 is advantageously of the type that has a vast number of stored codes and automatically changes to a new code on each operation of the remote control transmitter means 10. This helps to prevent potential burglars trying to obtain the vransmitted code and thus open the electric lock without authority.

The electric lock includes manual override means 36 for manually opening the electric lock. The manual override means 36 can be operated from inside or outside of premises using the electric lock. The manual override means 36 operates by inserting a key (not shown) into a barrel portion (not shown) in an aperture 38. The operation of the manual override means is shown sequentially in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8.

More specifically, Figure 5 shows the electric lock 2 deadlocked and the locking pin 26 engaged in the groove 28. When the manual override key is rotated by 980, a lug 40 engages a pin 42 extending outwardly from a lever 44. This position is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 6 shows the locking member 4 still in its locked position but the locking pin 26 has been manually raised by key rotation to 1140. The lever 44 has been raised to push up the locking pin 26 as shown in Figure 6. Figure 7 shows key rotation through 1180. The locking pin 26 is fully lifted and the locking member 4 is starting to be withdrawn and moves towards it unlocked position. This is effected because the lug 40 has moved past the pin 42 and has now engaged a shoulder 46 on the locking member 4.

Figure 8 shows the locking member 4 fully withdrawn, the lever 44 dropped back to its normal rest position, and thus the locking pin 26 dropped back under gravity to its locking position but at the other end of the groove 28 to that shown in Figure 5. The key operates in a normal barrel lock in the manual override means 36.

Although Figures 5 - 8 illustrate operation of the manual override means, the different positions of a spindle connecting member 48 will be noted. The spindle connecting member 48 is best seen in Figures 11 and 12. As can be seen, the spindle connecting member 48 as a shaped plate 50 and a pin 52. The pin 52 engages in a slot 54 in the locking member 4 as shown. Thus the spindle connecting member 48 effectively connects the handle and the spindle 6 to the locking member 4.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the box 14 contains an on/off switch 56. This switch 56 is effective to turn the electric lock off by effectively disconnecting the battery 22. This saves on battery life. Also, if the electric lock is turned off at night, then a person in their home can be assured that there is no possibility of a burglar with a remote control transmitter means 10 operating the electric light. Thus the switch 56 affords an extra security feature.

The cover 18 of te box 14 is secured to the body 16 can four screws 58. These screws 58 screw into screw threaded posts 60 which upstand from a base 62 of the body 16.

Figure 4 shows that the electric circuitry for the electric lock includes a transistor 64. This transistor 64 has a pic which enables the required time of operation of he solenoid 24 to be set.

Typically, the solenoid 24 may operate for ten seconds in order to give a person time to turn the handle after pressing the control button 32 on the remote control transmitter means 10.

Referring back to Figure 1, there is shown a terminal block 66 which is for connecting electric wires (not shown) for connecting the lock body 2 to the circuit containing box 14. Figures 5 - 8 show connecting posts 68 by means of which the terminal block 66 is secured in positidn.

Figures 1 and 5 - 8 also show posts 70 for receiving screws for connecting a lock body cover 72 to the lock body 2. The cover 72 is shown in Figures 19 and 20. The cover 72 has an aperture 74 through which the spindle 6 passes. The cover 72 also has apertures 76 correspondnng to the position of the posts 70.

Figures 1 and 5 - 8 also show the presence of a fixed guide pin 78. A slot 80 in the locking member 4 moves backwards and forwards over the guide pin 78 during movement of the locking member 4 as can best be seen from Figures 5 - 8.

The lock body 2 is of a standard shape and size as can be appreciated from Figure 1 and Figures 9 and 10.

An anchor screw 82 is employed to anchor in position the manual override means 36.

The electric lock shown in the drawings is simple to operate, efficient and economical in use of power from the battery 22. The use of the switch 56 provides an extra security facility. If the remote control transmitter means 10 should be lost or should need a new battery, then a key can be employed to work the manual override means 36.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, a stop means other than the solenoid 24 and the locking pin 26 may be employed. Also, the locking member 4 may be spring biased towards it locking position so that any pressure towards the unlocking direction on the locking member 4 does not cause the left-hand edge of the groove 28 to bind on the locking pin 26 and thus prevent the solenoid 24 from raising the locking pin 28 when it is desired to move the locking member to its unlocked position.

The electric lock of the present invention can also be mains operated if desired.

Claims

1. An electric lock comprising a lock body, a locking member which is mounted in the lock body and which is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, a handle which extends from the lock body and which is movable by hand, stop means which is electrically operated ane which is for stopping the locking member moving from the locked position to the unlocked position, control means, receiver means which consequent upon receiving signals from the control means causes operation of the stop means such that the locking member is allowed to be moved to the unlocked position, battery connecting means for connecting to at least one battery for operating the receiver means and the stop means, and the electric lock being such that the handle is connected to the locking member such that movement of the handle causes movement of the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position whereby a person's hand is used to provide the force required to move the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position.

2. An electric lock according to claim 1 in which the handle is connected to the locking member such that the movement of the handle also causes the movement of the locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position.

3. An electric lock according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the handle is a rotateable handle.

4. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the stop means is a solenoid operated locking pin.

5. An electric lock according to claim 4 in which the locking pin locates in a groove in the locking member.

6. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the locking member is a bolt member or a latch member.

7. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the stop means moves from a stop position in which it stops movement of the locking member to a non-stop position in which it permits movement of the locking member.

8. An electric lock according to claim 7 in which the stop means returns to the stop position under gravity.

9. An electric locK according to claim 7 and including biasing means for biasing the stop means to the stop position.

10. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the control means is a remote control means.

11. An electric lock according to claim 10 in which the remote control means is an infrared operated remote control means, or a radio operated remote control means.

12. An electric lock according to any one of claims 1 - 9 in which the control means is a swipe card or a digital code device.

13. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the battery connecting means are terminals for receiving one or more batteries.

14. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims and including means for causing the stop means to be moved to its non-stop position for a predetermined period of time.

15. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims and including manual override means for opening the electric lock.

16. An electric lock according to claim 15 in which the manual override means is a key operated manual override means.

17. An electric lock according to claim 16 in which the key operated manual override means comprises a lug which is moved by the key, and a lever which is moved by the lug, the lever being such that it moves the stop means, and the lug being such that it also moves the locking member to the unlocked position.

18. An electric lock according to claim 17 in which the lever only moves the stop means to a non-stop position, and the lug only moves the locking member to the unlocked position.

19. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims and including an on/off switch.

20. An electric lock according to claim 10 or claim 11 in which the remote control means automatically changes it code after it has transmitted its signal or signals.

21. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims and including a strike plate.

22. An electric lock according to any one of the preceding claims and including one or more batteries.

23. An electric lock substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.