Abstract:
A bar lock for a locking system is provided, and comprises a lock body having guide slots and two recessed areas symmetrically disposed on opposite sides between the guide slots and separated from one another by a central member. Two lock bars are received in the guide slots and have engagement openings. Two spaced apart pinions are received in the recessed areas. Rotation of the pinions is converted into a longitudinal displacement of the lock bars. The pinions are positively interconnected via a plug.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a bar lock for a locking system that is to be used in particular in metal cabinet doors, comprising a lock body having guide slots disposed therein for receiving at least one lock bar that is guided in the lock body, and at least one pinion that is disposed in the lock body and that via its external teeth is in engagement with holes formed in the lock bar along the longitudinal axis thereof in such a way that a rotation of the pinion is converted into a longitudinal displacement of the lock bar, and which pinion has a centrally disposed engagement opening for the positive engagement of an actuating device such as a handle, pivot lever, socket wrench, or the like. 
     A bar lock having the aforementioned features is known from EP 0 261 267 B2; the known bar lock is preferably used in the switch cabinet industry as a component of a locking system for thin-walled metal cabinet doors that have at least one, in particular rectangular door recess for the mounting of the locking system. In this connection, placed upon the outer side of the door is a base plate having a receiving means for the actuating means such as a handle, pivot lever, socket wrench, or the like, and is screw-connected or otherwise fastened with the lock body that is placed upon the inner side of the door, so that the door panel is fixedly clamped between the base plate and the lock body. With the known bar lock, the lock body is composed of two symmetrically formed lock body halves, whereby the two lock body halves together form the guide slot for the at least one lock bar; preferably two lock bars are simultaneously used. Centrally mounted in the lock body, and encased by and between the lock body halves, is a pinion that via a respective bearing member rotates in an associated mounting bore of each lock body half, and which via its external teeth engage in a single perforation that extends along the longitudinal axis of the pertaining lock bar. The lock body halves are joined together via a plug connection, and the lock body is secured to the base plate via screws that extend through both of the lock body halves and engage the base plate that is disposed on the outer side of the door. 
     The known bar lock has the drawback that the assembly and mounting of the bar lock is complicated because the pinion is to be placed together with the in particular two lock bars into one of the lock body halves, whereby the lock bars are introduced into the guide slots and at the same time the pinion, with its bearing member, is to be placed into the mounting recess that is provided; subsequently, the two lock body halves must be mounted and then either the two placed-together lock halves must be secured to the base plate via through-bolts, or the lock body halves must be wedged together. 
     The object of the invention is to embody a bar lock having the aforementioned features in such a way that its assembly is simplified. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The realization of this object, including advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention, results from the content of the patent claims that follow this description. 
     The basic concept of the invention is that the lock body is embodied as a single or monolithic component having the guide slots recessed therein on its oppositely disposed longitudinal sides, and on both sides a respective recessed area is symmetrically arranged between the guide slots for receiving a respective pinion placed into the recessed area, whereby the recessed areas are separated from one another by a central member formed in the lock body, and the guide slots, in the region of the recessed areas, are each provided with a window for the engagement of the teeth of the pinion disposed in the recessed area into the plane of the lock bar disposed in the guide slots, and whereby the pinions, via a connecting body that extends through an opening of the central member, are positively interconnected, and in that the lock bar has two parallel rows of engagement openings for the teeth of the pinion that have the spacing of the pinion that is disposed in the lock body, and first engagement openings disposed at the end of the lock bar that is to be inserted into the lock body are embodied as a laterally open toothing and subsequent engagement openings are embodied as perforations. 
     The invention has the advantage that the monolithic lock body is easier to handle during the assembly of the bar lock as well as during the mounting of the bar lock on the base plate. For the assembly, the lock bars are inserted into the guide slots of the lock body to such an extent that their open toothing is disposed in the windows of the lock body between the guide slots and the recesses; in this position, the pinions can be placed into the pertaining recesses or recessed areas, whereby the teeth of the respective pinion come to rest in the open toothing of the associated lock bar. The two thus inserted pinions are then interconnected via the connecting body, preferably in the form of a plug, that is to be disposed in the square inner hole of the pinion. If subsequently the lock bars are inserted further into the lock body, the teeth of the pinions engage into the respectively associated perforations of the pertaining lock bar and are also thereby held in the lock body. 
     Pursuant to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the pinions be interconnected via a plug that extends through the opening of the central member and is provided with a square inner hole, whereby it can be provided that on the other side of the plug there be formed a shoulder that conforms to the width of each pinion for the defined fixing of the pinion in place upon the outer periphery of the plug. In particular, the pinions can be placed via a square inner hole upon the plug, which is provided on its outer side with a square shape, whereby the pinion can also be wedged with the plug. To improve the transfer of force between the plug and the pinions, it can be provided that the outer square shape of the plug be provided on two oppositely disposed corners with an extension shoulder that externally spans the respective corner in a right-angled manner, and the square inner hole of the pinion is adapted to the shape of the outer square of the plug, including the extension shoulders. With a view toward an advantageous reduction of the number of individual parts, it can be provided that the plug be monolithically formed with one of the two pinions, and that the other pinion be placeable upon the plug. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the pinion, in a symmetrical embodiment, be monolithically formed with a respective peripheral portion of the plug, and the peripheral portions of the plug that are respectively disposed on the two pinions together form the plug when the two pinions are joined together, whereby the peripheral portions respectively extend over a quarter of a circle and can be disposed in the region of the oppositely disposed corners of the square inner hole. With this embodiment, it is expedient if the pinions can be joined together with peripheral portions of the plug via a plug-type connection formed on the peripheral portions. 
     It can finally be provided that the other recessed area of the lock body, which is not engaged by the actuating device, be adapted to be closed off by means of an insertible protective cover. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, which will be subsequently described. Shown are: 
         FIG. 1  An exploded illustration showing details of a bar lock, 
         FIG. 2  The bar lock of  FIG. 1  in the assembled state, 
         FIG. 3  A detailed view of an embodiment of a pinion for use in the bar lock of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , 
         FIG. 4   a  A detailed view of an embodiment of a plug that is to be placed into the bar lock of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , 
         FIG. 4   b  A front view of the subject matter of  FIG. 4   a,    
         FIG. 4   c  A plan view of the pinion pertaining to the plug of  FIGS. 4   a, b,    
         FIG. 5  Another embodiment of the pinion of FIG.  3 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As can be initially seen in  FIG. 1 , the bar lock is provided with a one-piece or monolithic lock body  10  having a rectangular cross-section, on the parallel, oppositely disposed longitudinal sides of which guide slots  11  are formed in the lock body  10  into which respective lock bars  12  can be inserted. 
     With a view toward the use of the bar lock in a locking system, each of the lock bars  12  has an elbow or shoulder  13  as well as attachment means  14  for the mounting of further locking bars; such a locking system is described in detail in the generic EP 0 261 267 B2. 
     In a symmetrical arrangement, the lock body  10  is provided on both sides, between the guide slots  11 , with a respective recessed area  15  for receiving a pinion  18 ; the two recessed areas  15  are interconnected by a central member  16  that is formed in the lock body  10  and that in turn has an opening  28 . 
     Each recessed area  15  intersects the two guide slots  11 , and in this region a respective window  17  is formed so that the outwardly disposed teeth  19  of the pinion  18  extend into the plane of the guide slots  11  and can here be brought into engagement with the lock bars  12  that are introduced into the guide slots  11 . The two pinions have a square inner hole  20 , so that the two pinions  18  are interconnected via a plug  21  that is inserted into the square inner holes  20  thereof and that in turn is provided with a square inner hole  22  for the engagement of the actuating device. The actuation, which is not illustrated in the present application, yet is described in detail in the generic EP 0 261 267 B2, can be brought via an associated square-end shaft into engagement with the plug  21 , so that by rotating the plug  21  the pinions  18  are rotated. The outer periphery of the plug  21  is provided with respective shoulders  23 , so that the pinions  18  are to be connected with the plug  21  in a defined position. 
     Each of the lock bars  12  has two rows of engagement openings for the teeth  19  of the two pinions  18 , whereby the two rows of engagement openings, which are disposed parallel to one another in the longitudinal axes of the lock bars  12 , are coordinated to the position of the pinions  18  that are disposed in the recessed areas  15 . In this connection, the first two engagement openings, which are disposed on those ends of the lock bars  12  that are to be respectively inserted into the lock body  10 , are embodied as a laterally open toothing  29  while the further engagement openings are embodied as perforations  30 . 
     Finally, that recessed area  15  that is not engaged by the actuating means is to be closed off via a protective cover  24 . The lock body  10  is furthermore provided on its end face with projecting ribs  31  that are intended for engagement in a door recess, as well as with screw holes  32  into which appropriate fastening screws can be inserted for mounting of the bar lock on a base plate. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , the plug  21  could be monolithically formed with one of the two pinions  18 , so that the other pinion  18  can be placed upon the projecting shoulder  23  of the plug  21 . 
     The further embodiment of  FIGS. 4   a-c  illustrates the plug  21 , with the pertaining pinion  18 , and which plug is to be inserted into the bar lock, whereby the external square of the plug  21 , or two oppositely disposed corners of the shoulder  23  thereof, are provided with an extension shoulder  36  that externally spans the respective corner in a right-angled manner. In conformity therewith, as can be seen from  FIG. 4   c , the square inner hole  20  of the pinion  18  is adapted to the shape of the external square of the plug  21  or of the shoulder  23  thereof, including the extension shoulders  36  disposed thereon, so that in this way the transmission of torque between the plug  21  and the pinions  18  is improved, and a twisting-off of the plug  21  at high load is prevented. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a pinion  18  with plug  21 , whereby on a pinion  18  two peripheral portions  25  are monolithically formed with the pinion  18 , the peripheral portions respectively extending over a quarter of a circle and being disposed in the region of oppositely disposed corners of the square inner hole  22  of the plug  21 . The pinions  18 , with the peripheral portions  25  disposed thereon, are identically embodied so that the pinions  18  can be mounted together in a position rotated by 90 degrees relative to one another such that the plug  21  results as a consequence of inter-engagement of the peripheral portions  25 . Associated herewith in particular is the advantage of an improved transfer of force between the two individual pinions  18 . It is furthermore provided that the two pinions  18  are to be assembled together via a plug-type connection, whereby the plug-type connection is formed from respectively two guide or insertion pins  26  and two associated receiving openings  27  that engage one another when the two pinions  18  are joined together. 
     The features of the subject matter of this document disclosed in the preceding description, the patent claims, the abstract and the drawing can be important not only individually but also in any desired combination with one another for realizing the various embodiments of the invention. 
     The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of German priority document 200 09 771.7 filed Jun. 2, 2000 and International priority document PCT/DE01/02057 filed 30 May 2001. 
     The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.