GB2473711A

GB2473711A - Hatch arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2473711A
Application number: GB1015069A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Allan Henry Barnard
Original assignee: PROMETALS SOLUTIONS Ltd
Current assignee: PROMETALS SOLUTIONS Ltd
Priority date: 2009-09-22
Filing date: 2010-09-10
Publication date: 2011-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 2030-09-10
Also published as: GB2473711B; GB0916642D0; GB201015069D0

Abstract

A hatch arrangement 10 for mounting at an aperture in a support, for example a wall is disclosed. The hatch arrangement comprises a closure. means 32 mountable on the support at the aperture and moveable between open and closed positions. The hatch arrangement further includes a lock assembly 50 which is mountable on the support adjacent the aperture and has a bolt (58 Fig 3) which can cooperate with the closure means to lock the closure means in the closed position. The hatch is preferably used as a drug flap or pill hatch for the passing of medications to patients in hospitals or health centres. The lock may be a mortice lock and have a key. The bolt receiving member 40 may have a curved surface, preferably a convex surface. The hatch may have a portion 18 that extends through the aperture and engages with a second portion on the other side of the support.

Description

Hatch Arrangement This invention relates to hatch arrangements. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to hatch arrangements for use in supplying drugs to patients in secure rooms in hospitals. Embodiments of the invention relate to drug flaps. Embodiments of the invention relate to pill hatches.

It is sometimes necessary to hold patients in secure individual rooms in hospitals, or their own individually allocated rooms Such patients often need to be supplied with drugs, and it can be the case that staffing levels do not permit more than one person to deliver the drugs. In such cases, it is necessary for a hatch to be provided through which the member of staff can supply the drug to the patient.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a hatch arrangement for mounting at an aperture in a support, the hatch arrangement comprising a closure means mountable on the support at the aperture, the closure means being moveable between open and closed positions, and the hatch arrangement further including a lock assembly mountable on the support adjacent the aperture and having a bolt which can cooperate with the closure means to lock the closure means in the closed position.

One embodiment of the hatch arrangement may be a pill hatch. One embodiment of the hatch arrangement may be a drug flap.

The lock assembly may comprise a lock having a lock mechanism to move the bolt between retracted and extended positions. Desirably, the lock mechanism can move the bolt linearly between the retracted and extended positions.

The bolt may cooperate with the closure means when the bolt is in the extended position.

The bolt may comprise a dead bolt. The lock may comprise a mortice lock.

The lock assembly may include a housing to house the lock. The housing may include a securing portion to secure the lock in the housing. The housing may define a keyhole through which a key can be inserted for insertion into the lock.

The closure means may comprise a closure member which can extend across the aperture when the closure means is in the closed position. The closure means may further include a bolt receiving member on the closure member. The bolt receiving member may define an aperture to receive the bolt.

The closure means may include a hinge about which the closure member can pivot between the open and closed positions. The hinge may be provided at a first edge of the closure member.

The bolt receiving member may be disposed at a second edge of the closure member. The bolt receiving member may have an outwardly facing surface which may, in use, face the lock assembly when the closure means is in the closed position. The second edge may be opposite the first edge.

The outwardly facing surface of the bolt receiving member may extend from the second edge toward the first edge. The outwardly facing surface may be curved toward the first edge. The outwardly facing surface may be convex.

The hatch arrangement may further include a frame assembly mountable around the aperture in the support. Preferably, the frame assembly comprises an insertion portion that can be inserted in the aperture. The insertion portion may extend from one side of the support to a second opposite side.

The frame assembly may comprise a first frame member having an insertion portion for insertion into the aperture. The frame assembly may further include a flange portion extending around the insertion portion. The flange portion may extend around a first end of the insertion portion.

The flange portion may define a plurality of fastening apertures through which fasteners, such as screws can be inserted to fasten the first frame member to the support. The flange portion may be fastened to the first side of the support.

The frame assembly may further include a second frame member, which can be arranged to extend around the insertion portion of the first frame member.

Preferably, the second frame member can extend around a second edge of the insertion portion the second end being opposite the first end.

The second frame member may comprise a cover member, which may be fastenable to a second side of the support, opposite the first side.

The second frame member may have a plurality of fastening apertures through which fasteners, such as screws can be inserted to fasten the second frame member to a second side of the support, opposite the first side.

The cover means is preferably fastened to the support on the second side thereof.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a hatch arrangement; Figure 2 shows a top sectional view of the hatch arrangement shown in Figure 1 mounted in a support; Figure 3 shows a side view of a mortice lock used in the hatch arrangement shown in Figure 1 Figure 4 shows a front view of the lock assembly; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the closure means; Figure 6 shows a rear view of a first frame member; Figure 7 shows a front view of a second frame member; and Figure 8 is a side view showing the first and second frame members being assembled at an aperture in a support.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a hatch arrangement 10 comprising a first frame member 12 mounted at an aperture 14 of a support, in the form of a door 16 to a secure room, such as in a hospital. The hatch arrangement 10 is suitable for use as a drug flap or pill hatch in, for example, a door in a secure room in a hospital.

The first frame member 12 is shown in more detail in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 8, and comprises an insertion portion 18 which is inserted into the aperture 14. The first frame member 12 further includes a flange portion 20, which is welded to the first end 22 of the insertion portion 18, such that the first frame member 12 is in the form of an integral unit.

The flange portion 20 extends around a first end 22 of the insertion portion 18.

The first frame member 12 is disposed such that the flange portion 20 is on the inside of the door 16 to the secure room.

The frame further includes a second frame member in the form of a cover plate 24, which is shown in Figure 7. The cover plate 24 is arranged over a second end 26 of the insertion member 18, as shown by the arrows X in Figure 8. The second end 26 is opposite the first end 22. The cover plate 24 is mounted on the outside of the door 16 to the secure room.

The cover plate 24 is of substantially the same size and shape as the flange member 20. The flange member 20 and the cover plate 24 have counter-sunk fastening apertures 28 through which counter-sunk screws can be inserted to secure the first and second frame members 12, 24 to the door 16.

As can be seen from Figure 8, the door 16 is provided with opposite rebates 30 into which the flange member 20 and the cover plate 24 can be inserted. The insertion portion 18 has a depth D that is formed to a size that corresponds to the manufactured thickness of the door 16. It will be appreciated that the depth D can be varied for each hatch arrangement 10, depending on the thickness of the door 16.

Referring to Figure 5, there is shown closure means 32 which comprises a closure member 34, a hinge 36, and a mounting plate 38. The hinge 36 comprises first and second hinge members 36A, 36B arranged on opposite sides of a hinge means 360, the closure member 34 is welded to the hinge member 36A, and the mounting plate 38 is welded to the hinge member 36B.

The hinge member 36B and the plate 38 define a plurality of fastening apertures 39. The fastening apertures 39 are aligned with one another so that screws can be inserted therethrough to fasten the closure means 32 to the second side of the door 16.

The closure means 32 further includes a bolt receiving member 40 provided on the closure member 34. The bolt receiving member 40 defines an aperture 42 into which a dead bolt (as described below) can be received.

The bolt receiving member 40 has an outwardly facing surface 44 (see Figures 1 and 2), which is formed to curve away from the edge 43 at which the bolt receiving member 40 is disposed.

Figure 4 shows a lock assembly 50, which comprises a housing 52 in which is housed a lock 54. A fixing plate 53 is welded over the housing 52. The fixing plate 53, and thereby the housing 52, are secured to the door 16 by screws extending through fastening apertures 55 defined around the edge region of the fixing plate 53.

The lock 54 is in the form of a mortice lock, and is shown in more detail in Figure 3. The fixing plate 53 defines a keyhole 56 which is aligned with a corresponding keyhole in the lock 54.

The lock 54 comprises a main body and a dead bolt 58 which is moveable by a lock mechanism held within the main body. The dead bolt 58 is movable from a retracted position inside the main body 57, to an extended position, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

Securing plates 59 are provided to secure the lock to a securing member 61 in the housing 52. The main body defines a further keyhole 57A, which is aligned with the keyhole 56 in the fixing plate 53, when the lock is secured within the housing 52.

Referring to Figure 2, the lock assembly 50 is mounted within a rebate 60 at a second side of the aperture 14. The bolt 58 extends through the bolt receiving member 40 into a recess in the door 16.

The securing member 61 comprises a carrier portion 61A and a pair of fastening portions 61 B at opposite ends of the carrier portion 61A. The carrier portion 61A is attached to the inside of the housing 52 by, for example welding.

Each of the fastening portions 61 B defines a threaded screw hole, through which a respective fixing screw can be inserted to secure the lock 54 to the securing member 61 and, hence, to the housing 52.

When it is desired to open the closure means 32, the key is inserted into the keyhole 56 to retract the bolt from the extended position shown in Figure 2 to the retracted position, which allows the closure member 34 to be opened in the direction indicated by the arrow A, pivoting about the hinge 36. The drugs can then be disposed on, or through, the insertion member 18 to be collected by the patient.

There is thus described a hatch arrangement for use in an aperture in a door of a secure room, which provides, in the embodiment described herein a lock assembly which is more secure and easier to use than previous lock assemblies.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A hatch arrangement for mounting at an aperture in a support, the hatch arrangement comprising a closure means mountable on the support at the aperture, the closure means being moveable between open and closed positions, and the hatch arrangement further including a lock assembly mountable on the support adjacent the aperture and having a bolt which can cooperate with the closure means to lock the closure means in the closed position.
2. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 1, in the form of a pill hatch or drug flap.
3. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the lock assembly comprises a lock having a lock mechanism to move the bolt between retracted and extended positions.
4. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 3, wherein the lock assembly includes a housing to house the lock, the housing including a securing portion to secure the lock in the housing,
5. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein the housing defines a keyhole through which a key can be inserted for insertion into the lock.
6. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the lock mechanism can move the bolt linearly between the retracted and extended positions.
7. A hatch arrangement according to any preceding Claim, wherein the bolt can cooperate with the closure means when the bolt is in the extended position.
8. A hatch arrangement according to any preceding Claim, wherein the bolt comprises a dead bolt, and the lock assembly comprises a mortice lock.
9. A hatch arrangement according to any preceding Claim, wherein the closure means comprises a closure member which can extend across the aperture when the closure means is in the closed position,
10. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 9, wherein the closure means further includes a bolt receiving member on the closure member, the bolt receiving member defining an aperture to receive the bolt.
11. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 9 or 10, wherein the closure means includes a hinge about which the closure member can pivot between the open and closed positions, the hinge being provided at a first edge of the closure member.
12. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the bolt receiving member is disposed at a second edge of the closure member, the bolt receiving member having an outwardly facing surface which faces the lock assembly when the closure means is in the closed position.
13. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 12, wherein the second edge is opposite the first edge.
14. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 12 or 13, wherein the outwardly facing surface of the bolt receiving member extends from the second edge toward the first edge, the outwardly facing surface being curved towards the first edge.
15. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 14, wherein the outwardly facing surface is convex.
16. A hatch arrangement according to any preceding Claim, wherein the hatch arrangement further includes a frame assembly mountable around the aperture in the support.
17. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 16, wherein the frame assembly comprises an insertion portion that can be inserted in the aperture, the insertion portion extending from one side of the support to a second opposite side.
18. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 17, wherein frame assembly comprises a first frame member having the insertion portion for insertion into the a pertu re.
19. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 17 or 18, wherein the frame assembly further includes a flange portion extending around the insertion portion.
20. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 19, wherein the flange portion extends around a first end of the insertion portion.
21. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 19 or 20, wherein the flange portion defines a plurality of fastening apertures through which fasteners can be inserted to fasten the first frame member to the support, the flange portion being fastened to a first side of the support.
22. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 21, wherein the frame assembly further includes a second frame member, which extends, in use, around the insertion portion of the first frame member.
23. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 22, wherein the second frame member extends, in use, around a second edge of the insertion portion the second edge being opposite the first edge.
24. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 21, 22 or 23, wherein the second frame member comprises a cover member, fastenable to a second side of the support, opposite the first side.
25. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 24, wherein the second frame member has a plurality of fastening apertures through which fasteners, such as screws can be inserted to fasten the second frame member to the second side of the support, opposite the first side.
26. A hatch arrangement according to Claim 24 or 25, wherein the cover means is fastened to the support on the second side thereof.
27. A hatch arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.