GB2181777A

GB2181777A - Fastening device

Info

Publication number: GB2181777A
Application number: GB08624540A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Herbert Naumann
Original assignee: Blohm and Voss GmbH
Current assignee: Blohm and Voss GmbH
Priority date: 1985-10-19
Filing date: 1986-10-14
Publication date: 1987-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2006-10-14
Also published as: NL192839B; NL8602613A; DE3537349A1; GB8624540D0; DE3537349C2; NL192839C; GB2181777B

Abstract

The device for doors or hatches, especially on board ships, has a single hand lever 10 and cranks 4 rotatably mounted on shaft spigots 3, with the cranks 4 being connected with the lever 10 via linkage rods 5, the shaft spigots 3 are arranged on the door case 1, on the hatchway coaming, or on the door leaf 2 or hatch cover, with the shaft spigots 3 being perpendicular to the plane of the door leaf 2 or hatch cover, and connecting rods 6 adjustable in length, connect respective cranks 4 with latches 1, the connecting rod 6 being pivotally connected at the crank or at the linkage rod and at the latch. The linkage rods which can comprise single continuous rods extending over several cranks may be interconnected by bellcranks at change of direction points and details are provided (see Figures 2-5). Latches can be formed with claws or as prismatic bodies held in linear guide. The pivotal connections may involve ball joints, or cordan joints to form three dimensional pivotal joint. Figure 10 illustrates a linkage rod (11) of split construction whereof the forces are transmitted both in tension and compression to prevent binding. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Locking device for doors or the like, especially on board ships The invention relates to a locking device for doors or the like, especially on board ships, there being a central actuating member for each door and cranks rotatable on shaft spigots, with the cranks being connected with the central actuating member via linkage rods.

The invention is based on the problem of making it possible to provide a locking device in accordance with the existing regulations and norms, while using components which are simple to manufacture, wherein all the latches of a door or hatch can be simultaneously actuated in mechanical manner by moving a single lever and wherein, when the door or hatch is closed, each individual latch presses the door leaf against the door case, or the hatch cover against the hatchway coaming, by means of a selflocking arrangement.The invention is especially based on the problem of making it possible to provide a light-weight, space saving locking device which operates with a low force requirement, which remains operable both with large deformations of the door leaf and of the door case, or of the hatch cover and of the hatchway coaming, and which also remains operable when individual parts which belong to the locking device should fail. For doors the locking devices can be arranged both on the door case or on the door leaf, and for hatches on the hatchway coaming or on the hatch cover.

In accordance with the invention the solution to these problems is characterised in that the locking device has shaft spigots arranged on the door case, on the hatchway coaming, or on the door leaf or hatch cover, with the shaft spigots being perpendicularto the plane of the door leaf or hatch cover, and with the cranks being journalled on the shaft spigots and being connected around the door leaf at their ends spaced from said shaft spigots by linkage rods; and in that pivots for connecting rods are directly provided at the cranks or at the linkage rods, at the pivot points between the cranks and the linkage rods, with each connecting rod being connected via a further pivot with a respective latch member and being of adjustable length.

The latch member driven by each connecting rod may be constructed as a lever having an axis of rotation which is directly parallel to the edge of the door leaf in straight regions of the edge of the door leaf, and tangential to the edge of the door leaf in arcuate regions of the edge of the door leaf, with the latch member having a claw which engages onto a contact surface formed on the door leaf or on the door.

In this case the pivots between the connecting rod and the cranks and the further pivots between the connecting rods and the latch members are three dimensional pivots. The three dimensional pivots are conveniently executed as a ball joint or as a cardan joint.

Alternatively each latch member may be constructed as a prismatic body having a wedge-like end face which is held in a linear guide, and which presses onto a contact surface arranged on the door leaf or on the door case and hereby presses the door leaf against the door case. In this case the pivots between the connecting rods and the cranks, and the further pivots between the connecting rods and the latch members are executed as pivot joints pivotable in two dimensions.

In a further alternative each latch member is rotatable about an axis which extends perpendicular to the plane of the door leaf, with the latch member having a lever which presses onto an inclined contact surface arranged on the door leaf or on the door case, and hereby presses the door leaf against the door case.

Another variant of the invention is characterised in that the latch members driven by the connecting rods are rotatable about respective axes which are inclined at a small angle to the plane of the door leaf, with the latch members each having a lever which presses onto a contact surface extending parallel to the plane of the door, thereby pressing the door leaf against the door case.

Each latch may be conveniently secured in its closed position by self-locking in that the connecting rod which drives the latch member, and the crank connected with the connecting rod, are rotated through a position in which the longitudinal axes of the connecting rod and the crank are aligned, into a stop position defined by an abutment, with the crank and the connecting rod being pressed against the abutment by a reaction force which is generated by a biased door seal and which acts on the latch.

With this arrangement each crank and its respectively associated connecting rod are either extended or cover one another in said aligned position.

To prevent binding the locking device of the invention preferably includes a linkage rod which, by means of pre-stressed springs, is of variable length in the compression and tension directions on exceeding a predetermined force.

More specifically, the locking device may have a divided linkage rod, wherein a part of the linkage rod is screwed to a hollow cylinder in the axial direction, wherein a piston which is acted on on both sides by plate springs or other suitable resilient bodies is axially movably mounted in the hollow cylinder and fixedly connected with the other part of the linkage rod, and wherein the linkage rod is fixedly connected with the piston is axially movably journalled in a sleeve which is screwed to the hollow cylinder in the axial direction.

The following description with the associated drawings relates only to terms which are used for doors. For hatches the corresponding designations apply.

The invention will now be described in more detail in the following with reference to several graphically illustrated examples. In Figs. 1 to 10 the locking system and its individual parts are shown arranged on a door case. If the locking device is arranged on a door leaf then the latches which belong hereto are arranged pointing outwardly, whereby a mirror image picture results for the detail of a latch with its drive parts.

There is shown: Fig. 1 a locking device in accordance with the invention which extends around a door case, Fig. 2 a 2 x 45" change of direction of the locking device in the closed position, Fig. 3 a 2 x 45" change of direction of the locking device in the open position, Fig. 4 a 90" change of direction of the locking device in the closed position, Fig. 5 a 90" change of direction of the locking device in the open position, Fig. 6 a side view of the latch drive in the closed position, Fig. 7 a view of Fig. 6 from below with the parts which belong on the door leaf not being illustrated, Fig. 8 a side view of the latch drive in the open position, Fig. 9 a view of Fig. 8 from below with the parts belonging to the door leaf not being shown, and Fig. 10 a linkage rod with a device which is resilient in the compression and tension directions.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 6 a door leaf or panel 2 (Fig.

6) is provided to close a door opening surrounded by a door case 1 (Fig. 1). The door leaf is mounted on hinges (not shown) and can be swung from an open position to a closed position and vice versa. In the closed position the door panel or leaf can be locked to the door case or frame by the locking sytem of the invention. Although this description is made with respect to a door leaf and a door case it applies equally to the case of a hatchway in which a hatch cover (equivalent to the door leaf) can be positioned to cover the opening or hatchway defined by a hatchway coaming (equivalent to the door case). It is not essential for the hatch cover or for the door leaf to be mounted on hinges, however this will usually be the case.

The following description applies to a situation in which the locking device is mounted on the door case (or hatchway coaming), it could however be mounted in a kinematically inverted arrangement on the door leaf (or hatch cover) if desired.

As seen in the drawings a plurality of shaft spigots 3 are arranged around the opening on the door case so that they extend perpendicular to the plane of the door leaf and parallel to the edge of the door panel.

Cranks or crank armns 4,4' are rotatably mounted on the shaft spigots. Linkage rods 5 interconnect the crank arms 4, 4' and are pivotally connected to the ends of the crank arms, in each case at the same distance from the axis of rotation of the respective crank arm on the associated spigot 3. The linkage rods 5 connect the crank ends with one another in such a way that the longitudinal axis of each crank arm 4 forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of its linkage rod 5 which is the same from one crank arm to the next.

The linkage rods can either comprise a single continuous linkage rod extending over several adjacent cranks arms, for example covering the whole length of one side of the door case, or can comprise a single rod between each pair of adjacent crank arms.

Whereas, the cranks 4 provided at the straight edges of the door case between the corners of the door leaf are executed as single cranks each connected to two oppositely directed linkage rods (or to a continuous linkage rod 5), the cranks at the corners of the door case, i.e. at the change direction points, are made as bellcranks 4' each having two crank arms.

In the arrangement of Figs. 2 and 3 the bellcranks are made of sheet metal and have a generally triangular shape in plan view. In this case the two adjacent shaft spigots at each corner of the door case carry respective bellcranks 4' which are interconnected by a single linkage rod which extends generally diagonally across the associated corner of the door case and can have the special shape shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In an alternative arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 only one bellcrank 4' is provided at the apex of each corner of the door case and has two distinct arms arranged at 90" and to one another. It is also possible to form the bellcranks 4' of Figs. 4 and 5 as triangular sheet metal plates.

At the change of direction points the linkage rods 5 can, in accordance with Figs. 2-5, be provided with specially cranked ends to avoid interference of the adjacent linkage rods, particularly at locations where they pass over each other or pass closely adjacent to each other.

All the crank arms of the single cranks 4 and the bellcranks 4' can be simultaneously pivoted about the axes defined by the respective shaft spigots (3) by movement of a hand lever 10. This pivotal movement of the single crank arms is used to release or engage a plurality of latches 7, one latch being associated with each single crank arm.

In the embodiments shown in the drawings the latches 7 take the form of levers mounted on axles of rotation so that the axes of rotation of the latches are directed parallel to the edge of the door leaf in straight regions of the edges of the door leaf and tangential to the edge of the door leaf in arcuate regions of the door leaf. In each case the axes of rotation of the levers extend substantially parallel to the plane of the door. The single cranks 4 are connected to their respective latches by connecting rods 6 of adjustable length. Each connecting rod engages at one end with the respectively associated latch 7 at a ball joint spaced at a favourable distance from the axis of rotation of that latch 7. The ball joint forms a three dimensional pivotal joint which could be realised in other ways, for example as a cardan joint. The other end of each connecting rod is mounted via a similar ball or cardan joint with the end of the associated crank arm, and indeed at the same position as that at which the associated linkage rod(s) act(s) on the crank arm. The arrrangement is conveniently such that the crank arm end of the connecting rod is connected to the connecting rod at a ball joint b on the opposite side of the arm from the pivot a between that crank arm and the associated linkage rod(s). In this way part of the ball joint b (for example the ball) and part of the pivot a can be formed by opposite ends of the same joint member, which is a particularly neat and compact arrangement.

The adjustable lengths of the connecting rods makes it possible to adjust them so that all latches close simultaneously and bending moments on the linkage rods are avoided.

In order to press the door leaf 2 against the door case 1 the claws of the latches 7 contact, in the case of a locking device arrangement on the door case, against contact surfaces f provided on the door leaf 2. However, it the locking device is arranged on the door leaf 2 the claws of the latches 7 contact contact surfaces provided on the door case.

The latches can also be formed as prismatic bodies which are held in a linear guide and which press by means of a wedge-like end face onto a contact surface arranged on the door leaf or on the door case and hereby press the door leaf against the case. In this arrangement one can use connecting rods with joints which are rotatable about a single axis.

Furthermore, the latches can be constructed as levers the axes of rotation of which extend perpendicular to the plane of the door leaf or inclined at a small angle to the plane of the door leaf, with the latches having an arm which, when the axis of rotation of the latch is perpendicular, presses against an inclined contact surface on the door leaf or on the door case, and which, when the axis of rotation of the latch is inclined presses against a contact surface arranged on the door leaf or on the door case extending parallel to the plane of the door leaf, and hereby presses the door leaf against the door case.The latches with an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the door leaf can be actuated by connecting rods with joints rotatable about one axis, whereas the latches with axis inclined to the leaf of the door require connecting rods with joints rotatable in three dimensions.

The hand lever 10 required in accordance with Fig.

1 for the driving of the locking device is secured onto a shaft which extends in sealed manner through the door case 1 or the door leaf 2, with one of the cranks 4 belonging to the locking device also being arranged on this shaft and being rotationally fixedly connected with the shaft and with the hand lever 10, or the hand lever 10 with its own crank engages into a linkage rod 5. The hand levers are so arranged that they exert, through their own weight, a force in the closing direction on the locking device.

For the movement of the latches 7 from their open position (Fig. 8) in which the latches 7 do not project in to the clear door opening, into their closed position, the locking device only requires a small angle of rotation of the cranks 4a so that the hand lever 10 together with the locking system can be set to an angle of rotation which corresponds with the regulations.

In order to obtain a self-locking action for the latches 7 the cranks 4 and their connecting rods 6 are turned through a position in which the longitudinal axes of the connecting rods 6 viewed perpendicular to the door leaf 2 extend in a line, with the longitudinal axes of the cranks 4. In the illustrated embodiment the longitudinal axes of the cranks 4 and of the connecting rods 6 are extended.

In this in line state the greatest contact pressure is generated. After passing beyond this position the movement of the cranks 4 and the connecting rod 6 is restricted by abutments 8. Through the resilience of the now pre-stressed door seal 9 a force is fed via the latches 7 into the connecting rod 6 and the cranks 4 which presses the cranks 4 against the abutment 8 whereby the self-locking action arises.

In the position of greatest contact pressure the longitudinal axes of the cranks 4 and of the connecting rod 6 could also cover one another.

As the cranks 4 and the connecting rods 6 are moved through their extended or covered position they are able to generate very large contact pressures for a small operating force on the hand lever 10. In this way ideal sealing can be obtained for a door with a door seal 9 having a high reaction force.

In order that the latches 7 around the door leaf 2 can press against the door case 1 the hinges have elongate holes by which the door leaf 2 is also movable in this range perpendicular to the plane of the door leaf 2. In order to ensure the functionability of the locking device even when a linkage rod 5 is destroyed the ends of the cranks 4 are connected all around by linkage rods 5. As binding of the locking device can occur due to dimensional inaccuracies one linkage arm 11 of a locking device is made, in accordance with the invention and as shown in Fig.

1, resilient in the compression and tension directions by means of pre-stressed springs. With a spring system arranged as in Fig. 10 the forces necessary for the operation of the latches 7 can be transmitted both in the tension and in the compression direction, with a change of length of the linkage rod 11 only occurring with considerably greater forces, for example binding forces. The spring system of the linkage rod 11 is made ajustable in simple manner.

In accordance with Fig. 10 the linkage rod 11 is of split construction with one part of the linkage rod 11 being screwed in the axial direction to a hollow cylinder 12 in which a piston 13 connected to the other part of the linkage arm 11 is axially movably journalled and is acted on on both sides by plate springs 14 or other resilient bodies. The linkage rod 11 connected with the piston 13 is in turn axially movably guided in a sleeve 15, with the sleeve 15 being screwed in the axial direction to the hollow cylinder 12. The plate springs 14 located in the hollow cylinder 12 can be pre-stressed by rotating the sleeve 15. After the plate springs 14 have been pre-stressed the linkage rod 11 which is screwed to the hollow cylinder 12 can be rotated to change the length of the entire linkage rod 11. A fine regulation can take place by rotation of the sleeve 15 in the hollow cylinder 12. The adjustment work is made easier if the direction of rotation of the thread in the hollow cylinder 12 for that part of the linkage rod 11 and the direction of rotation of the thread in the hollow cylinder 12 for the sleeve 15 are oppositely directed.

Claims

1. Locking device for doors or the like, especially on board ships, there being in respect of each said door a central actuating member and a plurality of cranks rotatable on shaft spigots, with the cranks being connected with the central actuating member via linkage rods, characterised in that the locking device has shaft spigots (3) arranged on the door case (1), on the hatchway coaming, or on the door leaf (2) or hatch cover, with the shaft spigots (3) being perpendicular to the plane of the door leaf (2) or hatch cover, and with the cranks (4) being journalled on the shaft spigots and being connected around the door leaf (2) at their ends spaced from said shaft spigots (3) by linkage rods (5); and in that pivots (b) for connecting rods (6) are directly provided at the cranks (4) or at the linkage rods (5), at the pivot points (a) between the cranks (4) and the linkage rods (5), with each connecting rod (6) being connected via a further pivot (c) with respective latch member (7) and being of adjustable length (at d) (Figs. 1,6).

2. Locking device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the latch member (7) driven by each connecting rod (6) is constructed as a lever having an axis of rotation which is directed parallel to the edge of the door leaf in straight regions of the edge of the door leaf, and tangential to the edge of the door leaf in arcuate regions of the edge of the door leaf, with the latch member (7) having a claw which engages onto a contact surface (f) formed on the door leaf (2) or on the door case (1) (Fig. 6).

3. Locking device in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the pivots (b) between the connecting rod (6) and the cranks (4) and the further pivots (c) between the connecting rods and the latch members (7) are three dimensional pivots.

4. Locking device in accordance with claim 3, characterised in that the three dimensional pivots are executed as a ball joint or as a cardan joint.

5. Locking device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that each latch member is constructed as a prismatic body having a wedge-like end face which is he d in a linear guide, and which presses onto a contact surface arranged on the door leaf or on the door case and hereby presses the door leaf against the door case.

6. Locking device in accordance with claim 5, characterised in that the pivots between the connecting rods and the cranks, and the further pivots between the connecting rods and the latch members are executed as pivot joints pivotable in two dimensions.

7. Locking device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that each latch member is rotatable about an axis which extends peprendiculartothe plane of the door leaf, with the latch member having a lever which presses onto an inclined contact surface arranged on the door leaf or on the door case, and hereby presses the door leaf against the door case.

8. Locking device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the latch members driven by the connecting rods are rotatable about respective axes which are inclined at a small angle to the plane of the door leaf, with the latch members each having a lever which presses onto a contact surface extending parallel to the plane of the door, thereby pressing the door leaf against the door case.

9. Locking device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that each latch is secured in its closed position by self-locking; in that the connecting rod (6) which drives the latch member (7), and the crank (4) connected with the connecting rod (6), located through a position in which the longitudinal axes of the connecting rod (6) and the crank (4) are aligned, into a stop position defined by an abutment (8), with the crank (4) and the connecting rod being pressed against the abutment (8) by a reaction force which is generated by a biased door seal (9) and which acts on the latch (7) (Fig. 7).

10. Locking device in accordance with claim 9, characterised in that each crank and its respectively associated connecting rod are either extended or cover one another in said aligned position.

11. Locking device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes a linkage rod (11) which, by means of pre-stressed springs, is of variable length in the compression and tension directions on exceeding a predetermined force (Figs. 1,10).

12. Locking device in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that is has a divided linkage rod (11), wherein a part of the linkage rod (11) is screwed to a hollow cylinder (12) in the axial direction, wherein a piston (13) which is acted on on both sides by plate springs (14) or other suitable resilient bodies (14) is axially movably mounted in the hollow cylinder and fixedly connected with the other part of the linkage rod (11), and wherein the linkage rod (11) which is fixedly connected with the piston (13) is axially movably journalled in a sleeve (15) whcih is screwed to the hollow cylinder (12) in the axial direction (Fig. 10).

13. Locking device substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.