EP0331595A1 - Barn door closure - Google Patents

Abstract

A closure (1) for a barn door (2), composed of an upper leaf (3) and a lower leaf (4), comprises for each leaf an espagnolette bolt or espagnolette lock (5, 6) equipped with an individually actuated operating rod (7, 8). So as to make the manipulation and locking and unlocking control of said barn door (2) especially easy, this closure (1) comprises connection means with elastic return (16) equipped, on the one hand, with means (52) for automatically engaging the operating rods (7, 8) of the espagnolette bolts or espagnolette locks (5, 6) during the locking of the upper leaf (3) and, on the other hand, with means (57) for disengaging said operating rods (7, 8) as a result of action on the espagnolette bolt or espagnolette lock (6) of the lower leaf (4). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a fitting for a farm door, formed by an upper leaf and a lower leaf, comprising, for each leaf, a lever or lever-lock provided with an actuating rod actuated individually.

This invention will find its application, more particularly, in the field of building hardware.

Fittings are already known which are suitable for farm doors consisting of two separate leaves and articulated around the same vertical axis. Thus, these fittings generally consist of two separate parts, one of which is a cremone bolt or lock bolt applied to the upper leaf, the other part, integral with the lower leaf, being formed by a simple lock. In fact, this arrangement requires a separate control of the lever or lever-lock and the lock to obtain the opening of the two leaves of the door. Indeed, the operation of the bolt or lever-lock of the upper leaf does not affect the lower leaf, the latter being considered, in this case, as an integral part of the frame.

Consequently, the drawbacks which this type of known fitting presents essentially resides in the multiple manipulations which it is necessary to carry out when opening and closing the leaves of the farm gate.

In order to reduce the number of these manipulations, we designed fittings made up of two cremones or cremones-locks applied, respectively on the upper leaf and lower leaf of said farm gate. Each of these bolts or bolts-locks comprises at least one operating rod carrying one or more locking elements capable of cooperating with strikes arranged on the frame. This or these operating rods are actuated by means of a mechanism housed in a housing and on which the user acts using a control handle.

The peculiarity of this type of fitting consists in that at the junction of the two leaves of the farm door, a rod for operating the cremone bolt or cremone bolt of the upper leaf cooperates with a rod for operating the cremone bolt or bolt - lower leaf lock. More specifically, this operating rod of the upper leaf comprises at its lower end a hook in which engages the upper bent end of the operating rod located on the lower leaf.

It is important to note that the cooperation of the operating rods is effective only in the locking position of the farm gate. Thus, this configuration allows, under a single action on the control handle of the lever or upper lever-lock to obtain, simultaneously, the unlocking of the two leaves of the door. However, such an action causes the destruction of the connection connecting the operating rods of the upper and lower leaves and causes the latter to separate. Therefore, the user is obliged to individually handle these two leaves during the opening and closing of the farm gate.

Furthermore, if the upper leaf is in the unlocked position and, unlike, the lower leaf locked, it is essential to proceed, initially, to unlocking the latter. Then, the two leaves are brought into the same vertical plane in order to obtain the cooperation of their respective operating rods before closing and locking the farm door. This locking is carried out, under these conditions, by the action of the user on the handle for controlling the bolt or upper bolt-lock.

It is indisputable that this type of known fitting only partially solves the problem of the multiple manipulations that it is necessary to perform during the opening and closing of a farm gate. However, this drawback is all the more troublesome since it is the source of rapid deterioration of the operating rods and of the mechanism for the bolts or bolts-locks due to the frequent errors occurring in the order of execution of the locking and unlocking operations.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. The invention as characterized in the claims solves the problem of creating a fitting for a farm gate, formed by an upper leaf and a lower leaf, comprising, for each leaf, a cremone bolt or cremone bolt provided of an individually actuated operating rod, this fitting comprising elastic return connection means provided, on the one hand, with means for automatically engaging the rods for operating the bolts or lever bolts when the upper leaf is locked and, d on the other hand, means to separate said operating rods by action on the lever or lever-lock of the lower leaf.

The advantages obtained thanks to this invention consist, essentially, in that the elastic return connection means make it possible to maintain in cooperation the operating rods, respectively, of the lower leaf and the upper leaf after unlocking of the latter. It is thus possible to control the opening and closing of the farm gate as an opening composed of a single leaf. In fact, it is only by acting on the cremone bolt or cremone bolt of the lower leaf that the latter is separated from the upper leaf.

On the other hand, in the event that the two leaves of the farm gate were separated during a previous manipulation, the automatic engagement means make it possible to reconstitute the connection of the operating rod of the lower leaf with that of the upper leaf. by a simple locking action of the lever or lever-lock located on the latter.

• - la figure 1 représente une vue en élévation de la ferrure, conforme à l'invention, les moyens de liaison à rappel élastique étant disposés dans un boîtier dont une des parois est escamotée
• - la figure 2 représente une vue en élévation du boîtier accueillant lesdits moyens de liaison à rappel élastique
• - la figure 3 représente une vue en plan du boîtier représenté dans la figure 2
• - la figure 4 représente une vue en élévation des moyens de liaison à rappel élastique tels que représentés dans la figure 1, les battants supérieur et inférieur étant en position déverrouilée
• - la figure 5 représente une vue identique à la figure 4, le battant inférieur étant désolidarisé du battant supérieur
• - la figure 6 représente une vue identique aux deux figures précédentes, le battant inférieur étant verrouillé et, contrairement, le battant supérieur en position déverrouillée
• - la figure 7 représente une vue en élévation du cavalier servant de support à l'axe sur lequel pivote le levier formant l'un des éléments des moyens de liaison à rappel élastique
• - la figure 8 représente une vue en plan du cavalier représenté dans la figure 7
• - la figure 9 représente l'axe sur lequel est monté pivotant le levier précité.

It is a fact that such a fitting, in accordance with the invention, is of convenient and rational handling providing it with increased longevity due to a considerable reduction in the risks of false operation. The invention is set out below in more detail with the aid of drawings representing only one embodiment.

• - Figure 1 shows an elevational view of the fitting, according to the invention, the elastic return connection means being arranged in a housing one of the walls of which is retracted
• - Figure 2 shows an elevational view of the housing accommodating said elastic return connection means
• - Figure 3 shows a plan view of the housing shown in Figure 2
• - Figure 4 shows an elevational view of the elastic return connection means as shown in Figure 1, the upper and lower leaves being in the unlocked position
• - Figure 5 shows a view identical to Figure 4, the lower leaf being separated from the upper leaf
• - Figure 6 shows a view identical to the previous two figures, the lower leaf being locked and, unlike, the upper leaf in the unlocked position
• - Figure 7 shows an elevational view of the rider serving as support for the axis on which the lever pivots forming one of the elements of the elastic return connection means
• - Figure 8 shows a plan view of the jumper shown in Figure 7
• - Figure 9 shows the axis on which the aforementioned lever is pivotally mounted.

The fitting 1, represented in FIG. 1 and constituting the object of the present invention, is more particularly, intended for use in the context of a farm gate 2 composed of an upper leaf 3 and a lower leaf 4 Thus, this fitting comprises, for each of these leaves 3, 4 a cremone bolt or bolt lock 5, 6 fitted with a mechanism 9 capable of actuating at least one operating rod 7, 8.

According to the embodiment shown in the different figures, these operating rods 7, 8 are housed in the front edge 12, 13 of the upper leaf 3 and lower leaf 4 respectively, and slide behind head plates 14, 15. These generally have one or more openings through which emerge locking elements integral with said operating rods 7, 8. By way of example, such locking elements may consist of rollers intended to cooperate with the strikes arranged on the sleeping frame.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the fitting 1 comprises elastic return connection means 16 ensuring the cooperation of the operating rod 7 of the cremone bolt or locking bolt 5 situated on the upper leaf 3 with the corresponding operating rod 8 to the bolt or bolt lock 6 of the lower leaf 4. In fact, one of the advantages of these elastic return connection means 16 consists in authorizing the unlocking or locking of the two leaves 3, 4 of the farm door 2 by a simple action on one or other of the bolts or bolts-locks 5, 6 and, in particular, on that located on the upper leaf 3.

As shown in Figure 1, the elastic return connection means 16 are housed in a housing 17 (shown in more detail in Figures 2 and 3) secured to the lower end 18 of the headrest 14. This housing 17 has a "U" shaped section open laterally and composed of two wings 19, 20, vertical and parallel, interconnected by a vertical flank 21 constituting the bottom of said housing 17. Note that the wings 19, 20 have on their front edge 22 a series of tongues 23 intended for crimping the housing 17 of the headrest 14.

Preferably, the elastic return connection means 16 are constituted by a lever 24 pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis 25. This is held by a rider 26 attached to the internal face 27 and to the lower end 28 of the rod. operation 7.

More specifically, the jumper 26, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, consists of a flat 29, preferably metallic, cut then folded, on its sides 30, 31 so as to define two parallel wings in the form of eyelet 32, 33. In the latter are arranged openings 34 adjusted to the diameter of the axis 25 and allowing the passage and maintenance thereof. Furthermore, between the parallel wings 32, 33 of the rider 26, the middle part 35 of the lever 24 is inserted, the latter having a bore 36 crossed by the axis 25. Preferably, said lever 24 is formed of two branches 37, 38 extending respectively, above and below its pivot axis. More precisely, the lower branch 38 has at its free end 39 a hook 40 intended to cooperate with the curved upper end 41 of the operating rod 8 of the lower leaf 4.

In fact, the lower branch 38 of the lever 24, provided with its hook 40, has the function of ensuring the connection between the maneuvering rods 7, 8 of the bolts and bolts-locks 5, 6 located respectively, on the upper leaf 3 and the lower leaf 4 of the farm gate 2.

As for the upper branch 37 of the lever 24, this is subjected to elastic means 42 tending to move it away from the operating rod 7 and to push it against the vertical flank 21 of the housing 17. The lower branch 38 and, in particular, the hook 40 are thus kept in the active position and capable of cooperating with the curved end 41 of the lower operating rod 8.

Consequently, by acting on the control handle of the cremone bolt or cremone bolt 5 located on the upper leaf 3, the movement applied to the operating rod 7 is reflected directly on the operating rod 8 of the cremone bolt or cremone lock 6 of the lower leaf 4. Owing to this arrangement, it is possible to control, by a single operation, the simultaneous locking and unlocking of the upper leaf 3 and lower leaf 4 of a farm door 2. The latter reacting under these conditions like a classic single leaf door.

It should be noted that during these maneuvers, the elastic return connection means 16 move in their housing 17, the latter being fixed immutable on the headrest 14. Advantageously, this movement is guided through of the axis 25 on which the lever 24 pivots and whose ends 43, 44 slide in oblong slots 45 machined in the parallel and vertical wings 19, 20 of said housing 17.

In addition, the axis 25 has at its ends 43, 44 a recess 46, 47 making it possible to define a shoulder 48, 49 intended to cooperate with the internal face of the said wings 19, 20. This particular feature prevents the axis from being released unexpectedly. 25 of the housing 17. Furthermore, the length 50 of this axis 25 is defined so that after mounting, its ends 43, 44 are substantially flush with the external face 51 of the wings 19, 20.

However, it can be seen that such an arrangement creates certain mounting constraints for the elastic return connection means 16. In particular, the engagement of the ends 43, 44 of the axis 25 in the oblong slots 45 can prove to be particularly delicate, all the more so since this operation can only be performed after the mounting of the axis 25 of the lever 24 on the rider 26 secured to the operating rod 7. Thus, one mounting method consists in causing the wings to spread apart 19, 20 of the housing 17 in order to allow the passage of the axis 25. However, this solution generates significant deformations of the housing 17 and difficulties in assembling the latter on the headrest 14.

In order to solve these problems and eliminate any mounting constraints, provision is made in the front edge 22 of the wings 19, 20 of the housing 17 for a horizontal cut 55 leading to the upper end 56 of the oblong slots 45. This feature allows to engage, initially, the ends 43, 44 of the axis 25 in the cutouts 55 to position it, without great difficulty, in line with the oblong slots 45 in which they are caused to slide.

The advantage of a farm gate 2, composed of two leaves 3, 4 consists in authorizing the handling of the latter individually. However, it is important that such a door can quickly, and without great difficulty, resume the characteristics of a conventional swing door. To this end, and according to a characteristic of the invention, the elastic return connection means 16 comprise means 52 for automatically engaging the operating rods 7, 8 cremone bolts or locks 5, 6 when the upper leaf 3 is locked.

In fact, the function of these means 52 consists in restoring the connection between the operating rods 7, 8 by a simple locking operation of the upper leaf 3 while the lower leaf 4 has been previously locked. This situation has been shown in FIG. 6. Thus, it can be seen that the operating rod 8 of the lower leaf 4 is in the lowered position corresponding to the locking.

Furthermore, the curved end 41 of this operating rod 8 is released from the hook 40 of the lever 24. In contrast, the operating rod 7 is in the raised position, the upper leaf being unlocked.

According to a preferred embodiment, the means 52 for automatically engaging the operating rods 7, 8 are constituted by a free end 39, of the lower branch 38 of the lever 24 in the form of a cam 53. This is able to cause the withdrawal of said lower branch 38 as it passes in front of the curved end 41 of the maneuvering rod 8 when the cremone bolt or cremone bolt is locked 5. FIG. 1 shows, in broken lines, the position of the lever 24 during its erasure in front of the curved end 41 of the operating rod 8. Due to the elastic means 42, acting on the upper branch 37 of the lever 24, the latter systematically returns to its active position at the bottom end of the operating rod 7, the hook 40 cooperating, then, with the curved end 41 of the operating rod 8.

Advantageously, the elastic return connection means 16 also comprise means 57 for separating the operating rods 7, 8 of the bolts or bolts-locks 5, 6 by action on the bolt or bolt-lock 6 located by the lower leaf 4.

In fact, the aim sought after, after unlocking the upper leaf 3 and lower leaf 4, is to authorize the release of the curved end 41 of the operating rod 8 from the elastic return connection means 16 and, in particular, of the hook 40, this operation being carried out by a simple control of the lever or lever-lock 6 located on the lower leaf 4.

To this end, the means 57 consist, essentially, of an inverted "L" shaped cutout 58 produced on the front edge 22 and at the lower end 59 of at least one wing 19, 20 of the housing 17. This cutout 58 is intended for the passage of the curved end 41 of the operating rod 8. However, the length 60 of the vertical portion 61 of the cutout 58 is determined so that the only unlocking action on the cremone bolt or cremone bolt 5 is not sufficient to position the curved section 62 of said operating rod 8 in accordance with the horizontal portion 63 of this cutout 58. As visible in FIG. 4, representing the upper leaf 3 and the lower leaf 4 in the unlocked position, this curved section 62 is placed immediately below the horizontal portion 63 of the cutout 58. In fact, it is only by acting on the cremone bolt or lock-bolt 6 of the lower leaf 4 that the curved end 41 of the rod of maneuver 8 is brought to the right of the cutout 58. However, it is preferable that such manipulation is not passed on to the operating rod 7 of the cremone bolt or cremone bolt 5 of the upper leaf 3.

For the purpose, the means 57 are supplemented by a hook 40 associated with the lever 24 and allowing an idle stroke 64 of the operating rod 8 of the lower leaf 4 relative to the operating rod 7 of the upper leaf 3. In fact, this vacuum stroke 64 is obtained due to an opening 65 of the hook 40 substantially greater than the thickness of the curved section 62 of the operating rod 8.

Thus, the action of the cremone bolt or lock-bolt 6 only affects this operating rod 8 by giving it a displacement corresponding substantially to the above-mentioned idle stroke 64 so as to allow the release of its curved end 41 from the housing 17 to finally separate the lower leaf 4 from the upper leaf 3.

Preferably, the housing 17 and, in particular, the vertical wings 19, 20 both have a cutout 58 allowing the reversibility of the fitting 1 and its use on a farm door 2 with opening to the right or to the left.

It is undeniable that such a fitting, in accordance with the invention, provides a certain number of advantages in comparison with the fittings for a farm door known in the prior art. Indeed, the commands for unlocking or locking the lower and upper leaf are considerably facilitated, not to mention that the farm gate is able to behave like a single-leaf door as long as the user does not intervene on the cremone bolt or cremone bolt of the lower leaf.

Claims (10)

1. Fitting (1) for a farm gate (2), formed by an upper leaf (3) and a lower leaf (4), comprising, for each leaf, a cremone bolt or cremone bolt (5, 6) provided of an individually actuated operating rod (7, 8), characterized in that it comprises elastic return connection means (16) provided, on the one hand, with means (52) for automatically engaging the rods of operation (7, 8) of the bolts or bolts-locks (5, 6) during the locking of the upper leaf (3) and, on the other hand, of means (57) for separating the said operating rods (7, 8) by action on the cremone bolt or cremone bolt (6) of the lower leaf (4). 2. Fitting (1) for farm gate (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic return connection means (16) are constituted by a lever (24) pivotally mounted, at its median part ( 35) on a horizontal axis (25) held at its ends (43, 44) by a jumper (26) attached to the internal face (27) and at the lower end (28) of the operating rod (7) . 3. Fitting (1) for farm gate (2), according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic return connection means (16) are housed in a housing (17) having a section in the shape of "U" open laterally and composed of two vertical and parallel wings (19, 20) connected to each other by a vertical flank (21) constituting the bottom of said housing (17), said wings (19, 20) being provided on their edges front (22) of a series of tongues (23) intended for crimping this case (17) on the lower end (18) of a headrest (14) arranged on the front edge (12) of the upper leaf (3 ). 4. Fitting (1) for farm gate (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that the lever (24) is formed of two branches (37, 38) extending, respectively, above and below of the pivot axis constituted, substantially, by the axis (25), the lower branch (38) having, at its free end (39), a hook (40) intended to cooperate with the upper curved end (41 ) of the operating rod (8) of the lower leaf (4). 5. Fitting (1) for farm gate (2) according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the upper branch (37) of the lever (24) is subjected to elastic means (42) tending to move it away from the operating rod (7) and to push it against the vertical flank (21) of the housing (17) to maintain the lower branch (38) and the hook (40) in the active position, capable of cooperating with the curved end ( 41) of the operating rod 8 of the lower leaf (4). 6. Fitting (1) for farm gate (2) according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that the means (52) for automatically engaging the operating rods (7, 8) of the bolts or bolts-locks (5, 6) are constituted by a free end (39) in the form of a cam (53) of the lower branch (38) of the lever (24) for, on the one hand, causing the withdrawal of said lower branch (38) to its passage in front of the curved end (41) of the operating rod (8) during the locking of the lever or lever-lock (5) located on the upper leaf (3) and, on the other hand, ensuring the engagement of this curved end (41) in the hook (40). 7. fitting (1) for farm door (2), according to claim 1 and claim 3, characterized in that the means (57) for separating the operating rods (7, 8) by action on the lever or lever -locks (6) of the lower leaf (4) are formed by a cut-out in the form of an inverted "L" (58) produced in the front edge (22) and at the lower end (59) of at least one wing (19, 20) of the housing (17), this cutout (58) serving for the passage of the curved end (41) of the operating rod 8. 8. Fitting (1) for farm door (2) according to claim 1 and claim 4, characterized in that the means (57) are further constituted by a hook (40) associated with the lever (24) and authorizing an empty stroke (64) of the operating rod (8) of the lower leaf (4) relative to the operating rod (7) of the upper leaf (3). 9. Fitting (1) for farm gate (2) according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the wings (19, 20) of the housing (17) have oblong slots (45) in which are engaged and slide the ends (43, 44) of the axis (25), said ends (43, 44) having a recess (46, 47) so as to define a shoulder (48, 49) intended to cooperate with the internal face of said wings ( 19.20). 10. Fitting (1) for farm door (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that the wings (19, 20) of the housing (17) have in their front edge (22) a horizontal cutout (55) leading to the end upper (56) of the oblong slots (45) and serving for the passage at the ends (43, 44) of the axis (25).

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