DEVICE FOR SAFEKEEPING OF KEYS

Abstract: Device for safekeeping an individual key device (10) for a door lock (21), particularly for doors of private estate, nursing institutions, offices, workshops, storerooms and the like, where personnel other than the regular users shall have access and where the key device (19) is arranged in a lockable cavity close to the door lock (21) and/or close to an appurtenant door handle (11). The cavity for reception of the key device (19) is arranged internally in the door handle (11) and the cavity is lockable with a key (20) different from the key device (19).

Description: DEVICE FOR SAFEKEEPING OF KEYS - The present invention relates to a device for safekeeping keys as defined by the preamble of claim 1, e.g. for use in private estate, nursing institutions, offices and other buildings of this kind. The invention is also relevant for entrance gates to factories, plants, cabin areas and the like. Background In some situations nursed or surveillance personnel shall have access to a locked area where nobody is present or where the inhabitant is not able to unlock the entrance door. It may be a shop that shall be inspected by a watchman, or rooms for nursing patients that receive visits of enrolled nurses from outside. Until now this kind of personnel has usually been provided with keys for the relevant doors. This implies an extensive administration and transportation of keys. Safekeeping of keys in particular safes or at the doors involves costly extra work and extra equipment. Objectives The main object of the present invention is to provide a device that simplifies the administrational routines for the keys and also simplifies the entrance through the locked doors. Thus, the invention is intended to simplify the safekeeping, the transportation and the administration of the individual keys. Furthermore the invention shall reduce the problems involved with changing of locks, where one or more new keys are to be manufactured and at least one key needs to be transported to a remote place for safekeeping. It is a still further object of the invention that the device shall allow integration with alarm installations. The invention The invention is defined by claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined by the dependent claims. By "lock cylinder" in this context is meant any form of locking mechanism that may be applied for use in relation with a door handle or the like. By "key device"is meant any kind of device applicable to unlock a lock, e.g. traditional keys, electronic keys, card keys with perforations or electronic transmitters, password/ combinations etc. The lock cylinder may correspondingly be arranged to be opened by other means than traditional keys. With a device according to the invention, it becomes possible to simplify the administration and transportation of keys for personnel that need access to several premises or buildings with different keys for each lock. This applies both for systematical access, e.g. for an enrolled nurse that regularly pays visits to several home patients, or for service personnel of a fire brigade that need access to premises in their area of fire protection. The invention may further be applied to rooms where there is a risk that someone might engage the lock without being able to unlock it, and to certain doors where it is desirable to have a spare key, e.g. in case the ordinary key should be lost. By providing each door handles in a certain service area with locks that opens with one or a few different keys, preferably system keys, it is sufficient that the personnel bring with them the only one or few relevant system keys in order to obtain access to several premises with locked entrance doors. The device according to the invention renders it possible to design a door handle so that it externally corresponds to a conventional handle design. Both the external and the internal parts, the lock cylinder inclusive, may be produced with rational manufacturing steps. The invention may furthermore be adapted for integration with an alarm installation, e.g. by including a switch or a cable loop in the handle. The door handle may comprise a main part that is tubular, possibly with a conical extension towards its free end, into which an extractable lock cylinder for e.g. a system key is installed, with a locking member that may be engaged with one or more protrusions or recesses in the internal wall of the door handle. The door handle may comprise a key holder for the individual key device, said key holder being disposed in the cavity of the door handle, preferably attached to the lock cylinder. The door handle may furthermore comprise a display which, when a system key is used, provides the combination for opening a combination lock. In order to prevent unauthorized extraction of the key device, a heat sensitive material or the like may be provided in the key holder or close to the key holder, said material being able to effect a blocking of the key device if the door handle is opened with grinding means or the like. The material may be enclosed in a capsule and have properties that causes a blocking of the key device if the two are brought in mutual contact. The invention furthermore relates to a locking system for buildings, factory plants and the like with a door handle in accordance with one of the claims 1-7. Example The invention is described in further detail below with reference to the attached drawings, where: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a door handle according to the invention, Figure 2A and B are side views and end views respectively of a lock cylinder with a key holder, intended for installation in the door handle of fig. 1, Figure 3 illustrates the function of the invention, while Figure 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment where the door handle is connected to a combined locking and alarm installation. The door handle shown in figure 1 and 2 comprises a conical, hollow main body 11 with a closed point end and an open wide end. At the pointed end the main body 11 is connected to an extending tubing 12 with square holes 13 for reception of a follower-spindle (not shown). The tubing 12 may be provided with a lateral boring for a locking pin that in a conventional manner is hidden by the door shield. The shown door handle may be applied in combination with known door locks and opening mechanisms, particularly of standardized types, but also of more specialized installations. At the wide end of the main body 11 two opposite internal protrusions 14, 15 are arranged integral with the wall of the main body. The protrusions 14, 15 serve as counterparts for a pair of locking pins 16 that extend from a lock cylinder 17, and are adapted to the opening between the protrusions of the main body. The locking cylinder 17 carries a box-shaped key holder 18, e.g. of plastic, with a cage for one or two individual keys 19. Figure 3 shows how the invention is utilized for a door, e.g. at the entrance of a handicap flat, to be visited by a nurse. The nurse brings with him or her a key 20, typically a system key, that fits into the lock cylinder 17 of the door handle 11 the same way it typically fits into the lock cylinders of several door handles in the nurse's work area (A). The lock cylinder 17 with the key box 18 may then be extracted (B) to give access to an individual key device 19 for the door lock 21. Subsequent to having carried out the work, the nurse will put the key device 19 back, replace the lock cylinder 17 into the handle and lock it with the other (system) key 20. The key device 19 may be attached to the key box with a sealed string, so it is impossible to remove the key from the door handle without leaving a visible mark. The key device 19 is shown as a conventional key but may have different embodiments. It may be an electronic key, card key etc. The cavity in the door handle 1 1 may contain an indicator or a display or the like, providing information of a combination, a password or the like, that replaces or comes in addition to the conventional key. Figure 4 indicates how the door handle 11 according to the invention may be arranged in combination with an alarm installation. From an alarm central 22 inside the building a cable 23 is drawn to the door handle, e.g. through a hole in the follower-spindle. The cable 23 may be connected to a switch or a cable loop inside the door handle 11 , said switch or cable loop forming an integral part of the alarm installation. A door handle according to the invention may be provided with a burglar "stop", by providing the key holder with a material that if heated, e.g. on attempts to break the door handle by grinding, the material causes a blocking of the key device. The material may be enclosed in a capsule and have properties that ensures an effective blocking of the key device if and when the material is brought in contact with the key device. Modifications There may be alternatives to the shown embodiment of a door handle, e.g other shapes and other operative functions, e.g. turning and pressing for opening a door. The common feature still consists in arranging a cavity for safekeeping of a key device without having to make holes in the door blade or establishing visible compartments therefore.

Claims: Claims 1. Device for safekeeping keys, particularly for doors of private estate, institutions, offices, workshops, storerooms and the like, where personnel other than the regular users shall have access and where a lock (21) needs to be opened with an individual key device (19), characterized in that in a door handle or a similar grip mounting, a cavity for reception of a key device (19) is arranged, said individual key device being intended for unlocking the individually secured lock (21), said cavity being locked with a covering member (17) that may be unlocked with a system key (20) different from the individual key device. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the door handle (11) is tubular, possibly with a conical extension towards its free end, wherein an extractable lock cylinder (17) for the key (20), comprising locking members (16) which may be brought into engagement with one or more protrusions (14, 15) or recesses in the inner wall of the door handle (11), is arranged within said door handle. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a key holder (18) for the individual key device (19), said key holder (18) being adapted for installation in the cavity of the door handle (11), preferably attached to the lock cylinder (17). 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a switch or a cable loop which constitutes an integral part of an alarm installation (22). 5. Device according to claim 2 wherein the door lock (21) is opened by a combination, characterized in that the device comprises a display arranged to indicate the combination for unlocking the door lock when the key (20) is operated. 6. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that a material is arranged in or close to the key holder (18), said material being able to effectively block the key device (19) if heated, e.g. on attempts of opening the door handle with grinding tools. 7. Locking system for buildings, factory plants and the like with a device according to one of the claims 1-6.

Inventors: FROEDIN PER, FROEDIN, PER
Applicants: FROEDIN PER, RENAG NOEKKELBOKSSAFER AS, FROEDIN, PER
Application year: 1999
Main classification: E05B19
IPC codes: E05B1, E05B19