Handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like

Abstract: A handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like, comprising: a first box-like element (2), which is provided with means for fixing to the door and is provided with an engagement tooth (5) rigidly coupled to the bottom (3); a second box-like element (6), which is articulated along one side of the first element (2) and has means for the articulation of two secondary arms (14a;14b) of a U-shaped handle (14) about an axis which is parallel to the rod; a case (16) which is rigidly coupled to the second box-like element (6) and in which a spring latch (18) is fitted so that it can slide in contrast with elastic means (17a,17b), the spring latch being suitable to engage the tooth (5); at least one inclined lug (19a,19b), which is rigidly coupled to a secondary arm (14a;14b) of the handle and is suitable to actuate the spring latch (18) for release; the bottom (3) of the first box-like element (2) has a through hole (24), through which it is possible to insert a pin for the release of the spring latch (18) regardless of the position of the handle (14).

Description: The present invention relates to a handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like. Handles for actuating doors conventionally turn long rotating vertical rods with which closure pawls are associated: these handles are turned manually from a position for engaging an internal safety hook to a first rotation step for releasing the pawls of the rods, and are provided with key-operated closures. A drawback of these handles is that they do not allow to open the door from inside the truck if the door is closed unintentionally. Another drawback is linked to the large number of components that constitute the handle, which increase its manufacturing and assembly costs. Moreover, the actuation of conventional handles entails simultaneously gripping the handle and acting on a release button. For instance, GB 2084643A discloses a handle of an industrial refrigerator which may be opened also from the inside. A fastening control lever may be rotated either by the outside handle fixed to it, or by a sliding push-rod projecting into the inside of the refrigerator and, at the same time, operating a control lever through a latch lever hinged thereto. DE 2,213,790 discloses a spinning rod closure system having spring means. When the handle of the closure system is unlocked, it is possible to push the handle to let the rod spin and let the door open. The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above drawbacks of conventional devices, i.e., to provide a handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like which can be actuated for opening from inside the truck, is made of a small number of components which can be easily assembled and entails, during opening, acting on a single element to be gripped. Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present handle-lock comprising a U-shaped handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like provided with a door closure rod, comprising: a first box-like element, comprising a bottom, which is provided with means for fixing to a door of a truck, trailer or the like and with an engagement tooth rigidly coupled to said bottom; a second box-like element, which is articulated along one side of the first element located at said door closure rod and has means for the articulation of two secondary arms of said U-shaped handle about an axis which is parallel to said rod; a case which is rigidly coupled to said second box-like element and in which a spring latch is fitted so that it can slide biased by elastic means, said spring latch being suitable to engage said tooth; at least one inclined lug, which is rigidly coupled to one of said secondary arms and is suitable to actuate said spring latch for release by rotating said handle, against said elastic means, with respect to the corresponding articulation means; a key-operated lock, which is installed in said second box-like element and whose bolt is suitable to move from a condition for locking the rotation of the handle with respect to the second box-like element to a release condition; the bottom of said first box-like element having a through hole located at a similar through hole of the door, through which a pin is insertable for the release of said spring latch regardless of the position of the handle. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a sectional side view of a handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like, shown in the closing condition, according to the present invention; figure 2 is a sectional side view of the handle in the open configuration; figure 3 is a plan view of the handle in the open condition. With particular reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like according to the present invention. The handle comprises a first box-like element 2, which is constituted by a bottom 3 and by two symmetrical walls 4, has means for fixing to the door, usually holes for through bolts, and has an engagement tooth 5 rigidly coupled to its bottom 3. The reference numeral 6 designates a second box-like element, constituted by a front 7, by three walls 8, 9 and 10, and by a tubular body 11 which is articulated along one side of the first element at holes 12 of the walls 8 and 9 and can be rigidly coupled to the closure rod of the door of a truck: the walls 8 and 9 have means, constituted by pins 13, for the articulation of two arms 14a, 14b of a U-shaped handle 14 with an enlarged grip portion 15 about an axis which is parallel to the body 11. A case 16 shaped like a parallelepiped is fixed to the front 7 and is open along the side that is opposite to the body 11; a body 18 is fitted therein so that it can slide in contrast with elastic means constituted by two helical compression springs 17a, 17b, and ends with an inclined spring latch-like profile 18a which is suitable to engage the tooth 5. Two symmetrical inclined lugs 19a, 19b are rigidly coupled to the handle and are suitable to actuate the latch 18 for release by rotating the handle in contrast with elastic means 20a, 20b interposed between the secondary arms and the second box-like element. A key-operated lock 21 is installed in the second box-like element 6; its radial bolt 22 is suitable to move from a condition for preventing the rotation of the handle with respect to the second box-like element, by interference with a cross-member 23 that connects the secondary arms 14a and 14b, to a release condition. The bottom 3 of the first box-like element 2 is provided with a through hole 24 located at a similar through hole of the door of the truck: a pin 25 for the release of the spring latch 18a regardless of the position of the handle can be inserted through the hole 24. It is noted that in order to open the door it is sufficient to act only on the handle 14, which in the first part of its rotation releases the spring latch-shaped profile 18a. It has thus been shown that the present invention achieves the intended aim and object and in particular that a handle with simplified safety actuation for doors of trucks, trailers or the like is provided which can be actuated for opening from inside the truck, is made of a small number of components which can be easily assembled, and entails acting on a single element to be gripped during opening. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the invention according to claim 1. All the details may also be replaced with other technically equivalent ones. In practice, the materials employed, as well as the shapes and the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: A handle-lock comprising a U-shaped handle for doors of trucks, trailers or the like provided with a door closure rod, comprising: a first box-like element (2), comprising a bottom (4), which is provided with means for fixing to a door of a truck, trailer or the like and with an engagement tooth (5) rigidly coupled to said bottom (4); a second box-like element (6), which is articulated along one side of the first element, in use located at said door closure rod (11), and has means (13) for the articulation of two secondary arms (14, 15) of said U-shaped handle (14) about an axis which is parallel to said rod (11); a case (16) which is rigidly coupled to said second box-like element (6) and in which a spring latch (18) is fitted so that it can slide biased by elastic means (17a, 17b), said spring latch being suitable to engage said tooth (5); at least one inclined lug (19a, 19b), which is rigidly coupled to one of said secondary arms (14, 15) and is suitable to actuate said spring latch (18) for release by rotating said handle, against said elastic means, with respect to the corresponding articulation means; a key-operated lock (21), which is installed in said second box-like element (6) and whose bolt is suitable to move from a condition for locking the rotation of the handle with respect to the second box-like element (6) to a release condition; the bottom (4) of said first box-like element (2) having a through hole (24), in use located at a similar through hole of the door, through which a pin is insertable for the release of said spring latch regardless of the position of the handle.

Inventors: BORTOLOTTI LANDO, HILBE RICCARDO, BORTOLOTTI, LANDO, HILBE, RICCARDO
Applicants: PASTORE & LOMBARDI SRL, PASTORE & LOMBARDI S.R.L.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E05B65
IPC codes: E05C1, E05B65