A lock which can be used for doors which are fitted on the right or left. The lock includes a nut which can be adjusted from the outside by an actuating element and which is disposed in a housing. The lock enables a bolt to be displaced between a closed position, when it is pushed out from the housing, and an open position, when it is pushed into the housing, by an adjusting element. According to this invention, the bolt is maintained in a closed position, counter to the pretension of a spring, in order to enable the type of lock, which can be optionally used on the left or on the right, to be produced without any additional costs. The nut can be adjusted from the pushed out bolt or the closed position, optionally, in a clockwise direction or in an counter-clockwise direction, in order to move the bolt into an open position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a lock which can be used for doors hinged on the right or the left, having a follower contained in a housing and which can be displaced from the outside by an actuating element, by which a bolt can be moved by a displacement member between a locking position, in which it is pushed out of the housing, and an opened position, in which it is pushed into the housing.

2. Discussion of Related Art

A lock is known from German Patent Reference DE 195 41 944 C1.

A displaceable blocking element is used in connection with this lock and can be shifted so that the direction of rotation of the follower can be reversed depending on whether it is used in a left or right operation. Thus a user can set the lock prior to being mounted as a function of the selected way in which it is hinged.

Furthermore, spring locks are known and have a bolt which can be adjusted against the pre-stressing of a spring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of this invention to provide a lock of the type mentioned above but which can be used for either left hinging or right hinging without an additional adjustment of a cost outlay.

This object is attained when a bolt is maintained in the locking position against the prestress by a spring and when the follower can be selectively adjusted in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction when the bolt is pushed out, in a locked position, in order to put the bolt into the opened position. In accordance with this invention, the known spring lock principle is transferred to a lock which is usable left or right. In the process, the association between the follower and the bolt is such that the follower can be rotated in a clockwise direction as well as in a counterclockwise direction for placing the bolt into the opened position. Thus it is possible to install the lock without an additional cost outlay for use on the left as well as on the right.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the displacement member of the follower has two actuating members resting against respective control cams of the bolt and which are supported there under prestress by a spring in the locked position of the bolt. The follower, or the actuation members, can be maintained in a predetermined initial position by the spring. Thus it is possible to maintain the follower in a defined initial position when the bolt is in the locking position. A handle coupled with the follower is then also maintained in an initial position. In addition, an adjustment free of play of the bolt is achieved with little structural cost outlay by using the prestress of the spring.

Thus the spring maintains the bolt in its prestressed position against the actuating members used as stops. The spring has a double function. It is used for supporting the bolt. The follower can be maintained in its initial position by the spring.

In order to realize comparable forces and/or displacement properties of the lock, both with left and right hinging, the two control cams can be symmetrically arranged with respect to a plane defined by the extension direction of the bolt and the axis of rotation of the follower. Then the symmetrical lock embodiment also makes possible a simple lock construction. Easy mounting of the lock, in particular one which can be automated, results if the housing has a spring receptacle into which the spring can be inserted in a first prestressed position, and if the bolt has a pusher, which maintains the spring in the second prestress position associated with the locking position.

In one alternative embodiment of this invention, with the bolt pushed into the housing, the follower is supported on a spring element. With the spring the follower can be automatically moved from the opened into the locking position, independently of the bolt.

The functionality of the lock can be extended in a simple manner if the bolt or the follower are directly or indirectly coupled to a bolt arrangement by a revolving rod. Thus it is possible to achieve a low structural cost outlay along with a large degree of dependability if the revolving rod a bolt can be adjusted by a drive element which is coupled with the revolving rod. The bolt is maintained in its locking position in a bolt housing against the prestress by a spring element, and the bolt can be displaced against the spring prestress by the drive element.

The cost outlay for parts can be kept low if the bolt or the follower drives two structurally identical bolt arrangements, each by a revolving rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A lock is shown inFIG. 1, wherein a bolt20is placed into a housing10. The bolt20has a locking tongue21which projects through an opening13out of the receptacle chamber11enclosed by the housing10. The bolt20is seated on two strip-like guide devices12, which are arranged in the receptacle chamber11, and the bolt20can be displaced on them in the viewing level between an opened position and a locking position. During this, the locking tongue21also moves between these positions into the housing10or out of the housing10. As shown inFIG. 2, the bolt20is guided in the receptacle chamber11between the guide devices12and a cover16, which closes off the receptacle chamber11. Adjoining the locking tongue21, the bolt20has a base element26, on which two lateral shoulders22are formed. Each one of the shoulders22has a strip24.1, each of which forms a control cam24.

An actuating member32of a follower30rests against each one of the control cams24. The actuating members32are designed in the shape of a finger and are formed as one part on the follower30. The follower30is seated in the housing10and is rotatable around the axis of rotation27shown inFIG. 1. The follower30has two bearing shoulders34for this purpose, one which is seated in a bearing receiver of the cover16, and the other which is seated in the bottom of the housing10. The follower30has a square handle receiver31. A square opening of a handle, not represented in the drawing, can be pushed through an appropriate opening17of the cover16and connected, for example locked, with the follower30.

The follower30extends with a center element15through a hole23in the bolt20. The hole23is embodied as an elongated hole, so that the follower30does not interfere with the displacement of the bolt20between the opened position and the locking position. However, in these end positions the center element15limits the displacement of the bolt20because it comes to rest against the ends of the elongated hole. AsFIG. 1shows, the follower30is designed symmetrically in relation to the plane enclosed by the axis of rotation27and the displacement direction of the bolt20. Similarly, the control cams24are arranged symmetrically with respect to this plane.

AsFIG. 2shows, a spring receptacle14is formed in the area of or near the bottom of the housing10. A spring19, in this case a helical spring, is placed into the receptacle. The spring19is maintained in a first prestressed position between two spring detents14.1. The bolt20has a pusher25, which extends through an opening in the facing spring detent14.1and is in contact with the front face of the spring19. In the process, the spring19prestresses the bolt20by the pusher25. Thus, the follower30is maintained prestressed against its actuating members32by the control cams24.1. By using the handle, not represented, the follower30can be rotated in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction from its initial position, which is represented inFIG. 1, associated with the locking position of the lock. During a rotation of the follower30, the respective actuating member32slides up on the associated control cam24.1. A rounded-off end33protects the control cam24.1. The bolt20is pulled into the housing10by the actuating member32. During the bolt displacement, the bolt20prestresses the spring19by its pusher25. When the center element15comes to rest against the end of the elongated hole-like opening23, the bolt20is in the opened position.

The bolt20can again be brought into the locking position when the handle of the follower30is released. The spring19then pushes the bolt20back. During this, the follower30is simultaneously returned into its initial position.

The lock is designed as a spring lock. Accordingly, the locking tongue21can be deflected at a latch bolt by an oblique deflection element21.1. The bolt20is then pushed into the housing10against the force of the spring19. So that the follower30does not take up an undefined position, an additional spring element, not represented in the drawing, maintains the follower30prestressed, such as in the initial position represented inFIG. 1.

Such a spring element40is represented inFIGS. 2 and 3. The lock represented in these drawings is substantially identical in construction and function with the lock represented inFIGS. 1 and 2. The differences and the increased lock functionalities will now be addressed in greater detail.

The spring element40is designed as a torsion spring and has two spring arms41a and41b which are supported, spring-loaded, in the area of or near their free ends on stops42of the housing10. The two spring arms41a,41bare arranged at an angle with respect to each other and cross. A shoulder35of the follower30is arranged in the area of or near the crossing point. In the locked position represented inFIG. 3, the shoulder35rests against one or both spring arms41a,41b, so that the follower is maintained in the position shown. If the follower30is rotated for changing the lock from the locked into the opened position, the shoulder35moves one of the two spring arms41a,42, regardless of the direction of rotation of the follower30, from the initial position represented inFIG. 3. In the process, the respective spring arm41a,41bis lifted by the associated stop42as shown inFIG. 4. The spring element40is then tensed until the spring arm41a,41blimits the rotating movement of the follower30at a stop37fixed on the housing. The lock position is represented inFIG. 4. In this case, the bolt20is completely retracted into the housing10. If now the follower30is released by the handle, it is automatically displaced again by the effects of the spring element40into the return position represented inFIG. 3.

AsFIG. 3shows, the bolt30is supported opposite the opening direction by a spring element19, the same as the lock in accordance withFIGS. 1 and 2, so that it is maintained free of play in the locking position.

The functionality of the lock represented inFIGS. 3 and 4can be increased by a revolving rod mechanism. For this purpose, a respective drive element50is rotatably maintained in two bearing receivers36of the housing10. In this case, the axis of rotation of the drive element50extends in a plane perpendicular with respect to the axis of rotation27of the follower20. With a pusher51the drive elements50engage a slit-shaped receiver cut into the shoulder22of the bolt20. In this way, the pushers51can be shifted when the bolt20is displaced. Because the pushers51are arranged eccentrically with respect to the axes of rotation of the drive elements50, the translation movement of the bolt20can be converted into a rotary movement of the drive element50.

The drive elements51have plug-in receivers, which are accessible through an opening in the housing10. A revolving rod52, which is not circular in cross section, can be inserted into it.

A bolt arrangement can be coupled, facing away from the lock, with the revolving rod52. This arrangement has a bolt62, which can be linearly displaced between an opened position and a locked position. This can be displaced in guide devices of a bolt housing60. The bolt62is maintained under prestress in the position shown inFIG. 3by a spring element61and can be inserted into the bolt housing60against the spring force.

The bolt62has receptacles63on its side, which are engaged by the pushers51of drive elements50. The drive elements50are identical to the previously mentioned drive elements50inserted into the lock housing10and are rotatably housed in bearings of the lock housing10. The revolving rod52is coupled with one of the two drive elements50. The second drive element50can be used when the bolt arrangement is inserted on the oppositely located side of the lock, or if each of the two drive elements50maintained in the housing10is to each drive a revolving rod52. In that case, structurally identical bolt arrangements can be used.

As the drawings ofFIGS. 3 and 4further show, the bolt62has an oblique deflection element64which has the same function as the bolt20. The bolt housing60can be closed by a cover which can also be used as a guide device for the bolt62and limits its displacement by a stop65.

The bolt arrangement can be changed from the locking state represented inFIG. 3into the open state in accordance withFIG. 4by the revolving rod52. During this, the pusher51retracts the bolt into the bolt housing60. As described above, when the follower30is relaxed, the follower, and at the same time the bolt20, are moved back into the initial position. During this the revolving rod62is also rotated back and the bolt62is released and can then be moved back into its initial position shown inFIG. 1by the spring element61.