LOCKING FURNITURE

Abstract: Locking furniture for securing, from the inside of an entrance region of a room, e.g. a door to a hotel room, said entrance region against opening from the outside. The locking furniture is of a type which is anchored in the striking plate between the entrance region and a case of the entrance region when the entrance region is closed and which thus blocks the entrance region against opening in that a hold is in abutment on the inside of the entrance region. The novelty according to the invention is that the locking furniture is provided with an alarm which is actuated if attempts are made to break open the entrance region in spite of the locking furniture. Furthermore, the locking furniture is preferably provided with a control light indicating whether the alarm is switched on and which may also be used in the dark to locate the entrance region.

Description: LOCKING FURNITURE The invention relates to locking furniture for securing against opening of a door, a window or another entrance region of a dwelling or a room in a dwelling, said locking furniture comprising a first part consisting of a plate part provided with a projection, said projection being designed to engage with a recess in the case of the entrance region and being provided with first engagement means, and a second part provided with a groove, said groove being designed to receive the first part so that the second part is attached to the first part, and said second part being provided with second engagement means designed to engage with the first engagement means on the first part. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The locking furniture consists of two parts: a first part forming a so-called "insert" and consisting of a small plate which is, by means of a projection, anchored in the striking plate on a case of an entrance region of a room when the entrance region is closed; and a second part forming a so-called "hold" and which is locked onto the first part and abuts on the entrance region itself and which thus blocks the entrance region. The invention is particularly intended for travelling purposes, for securing against intrusion, e.g. intrusion by means of an extra key or picking tools, in hotel rooms or the like while someone is staying or sleeping in the room, the invention thus forming a supplement to the ordinary lock of the entrance region. The invention is thus particularly targeted at all types of travellers and may accordingly be used easily and effectively by anyone irrespec- tive of the type of entrance region desired to be secured against unintended entry. The locking furniture does not leave any marks after use, either in the case or on the entrance region. The invention will also be useful for securing against intrusion in other rooms than dwelling rooms, e.g. offices or store rooms. Easy and effective use is achieved with the self-locking function of the toothing on the first part and the pawls on the second part, securing easy and safe mounting and also easy and quick dismounting. The self-locking function in connection with the locking furniture is characterized by substantially translation-wise movable second part, the hold, which, by engagement with the toothing on the first part, the insert, and the pawls on the movable second part, the hold, may transfer pressure from the hold to the insert. US 3,596,961 describes locking furniture of this type. The locking furniture comprises a first part forming an insert with a projection designed to engage with the recess in striking plate and the door case for the latch bolt on the door, and a second part forming a hold and which is displaced translation-wise in over the plate. On edge areas the insert is provided with a toothing, and the hold is provided with pawls engaging with the toothing under the influence of a spring force. When the hold is displaced in over the insert, a rest is simultaneously displaced forward against the door, and the pawls on the hold engage with the toothing on the insert. When the rest is pushed all the way up against the door, the door is secured against opening inwards by means of the projection on the insert, which is in engagement with the recess, and the rest on the hold, which is in abutment against the door. However, the occurrence of intrusion cannot be prevented entirely if the intruder uses a great deal of violence, e.g. by using a crowbar or other strong tools. This involves a great danger for the persons staying, e.g. sleeping, in the room. Furthermore, if the lock is used in offices or store rooms outside periods of time when people are present in such rooms, the use of a great deal of violence could take place undisturbed without the locking furniture providing any substantial improvement of the security against intrusion. Thus, there will be situations where the intruder uses so much violence to get inside that the locking furniture does not provide sufficient security against intrusion. It is the object of the present invention to provide locking furniture of the type mentioned, but which enhances the safety of the person(s) being in the room to be secured against intrusion from the outside, or where the security against intrusion - even in rooms where no people are present - is enhanced considerably. This object is achieved with locking furniture, characterized in that the locking furniture is provided with an alarm, the alarm comprising a signaller and a switch means, and the switch means being arranged in connection with a part of the contact face which in use is arranged against the entrance region, and said switch means being capable of actuating the signaller when the switch means is pressed inwards against the contact face. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The advantage hereby obtained is that the attempted intrusion will be revealed as soon as the attempted intrusion takes place and before an actual intrusion, in spite of the locking furniture, has taken place. At best the attempted intrusion will be abandoned, and an unpleasant and maybe dangerous confrontation will be avoided. In those situations where the intruder uses so much violence that intrusion may take place in spite of the locking furniture, the locking furniture of the invention will have an actual locking effect by at least delaying the actual intrusion, but will also have a deterrent effect by giving alarm at a very early stage, even before an actual intrusion has taken place, to indicate that attempted intrusion is about to take place. The alarm is preferably actuated by means of a switch means capable of sensing displacement between the entrance region and the case of the entrance region, which may be a sign of attempted intrusion. The switch means is provided in the rest on the hold. Displacement of the door in relation to the door case will also be an attempt to displace the hold translation-wise in relation to the insert by pressing the rest on the hold. Thus, a switch means provided on the rest will also be exposed to a pressure. The switch means may either be a switch means that actuates the alarm when the switch means is exposed to a pressure of a certain magnitude, e.g. a piezoelectric element, strain gauges or another pressure sensitive element. The switch means may also be a switch means that actuates the alarm when the switch means is exposed to displacement of a certain extent, e.g. an electric resistor element, an on/off switch means or another switch means having a switch on/off function associated with given displacement of the switch means. For the last-mentioned type of switch means it may be an advantage to establish a pad on the rest. In a preferred embodiment the second part has a contact face provided with a resilient pad and which is characterized in that the switch means extends from the contact face and outwards through at least a part of the resilient pad. The pad provides space between a surface of the entrance region and the rest itself on the hold. However, the pad must be elastic so that upon attempted intrusion the pad is compressed dependent on the pressure being exerted on the door. When the pad is com- pressed a certain distance, the switch means will actuate the alarm. The elasticity of the pad may be optional, but it is an advantage if the pad has a suitably great elasticity. An advantage is thus achieved, namely that the switch means and thus the alarm will not be actuated in case of a minor pressure against the door when the pressure is not due to attempted intrusion, e.g. being due to a draught against the outside of the door, an unintended push on the door, a knock on the door, etc. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Below the locking furniture of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment of the locking furniture according to the invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first part, a so-called insert, for an embodiment of locking furniture according to the invention, Fig. 2 is an oblique top perspective view of a second part, a so-called hold, for locking furniture according to the invention, Fig. 3 is an oblique bottom perspective view of the second part, the so-called hold, for locking furniture according to the invention, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the insert and the hold mutually assembled to form the locking furniture according to the invention in an application situation, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the insert and the hold mutually assembled to form the locking furniture according to the invention in a transport or storage situation, Fig. 6 is a schematic view of engagement between a toothing on the insert and pawls on the hold in an application situation, Fig. 7 is a schematic view of engagement between a toothing on the insert and pawls on the hold in a mounting or dismounting situation, Figs. 8-11 show how the locking furniture of the invention is used in securing an entrance region in the form of a door against intrusion from the outside, Fig. 12 is a section through the hold for the embodiment of the locking furniture provided with a sound-producing alarm in a non-actuated situation, and Fig. 13 is a section through the hold for the embodiment of the locking furniture provided with a sound-producing alarm in an actuated situation. Figs. 1-3 show parts of an embodiment of locking furniture according to the invention. The locking furniture consists of two parts: a first part 1 forming a so-called insert, and a second part 2 forming a so-called hold. Below insert and hold will be used as designations of the first part and the second part, respectively. The insert consists of a small plate which is at one end provided with a projection 3 and at the other end provided with a flap 4. A toothing 5 consisting of a number of inclined teeth is formed along edge areas 6 of the insert on both sides of a middle part of the insert. The projection 3 is designed to engage with a striking plate in the case of the entrance region (see Figs. 8-11). The flap is merely designed as a handle in mounting the insert to the case and in introducing the projection into the striking plate and into the case. The insert is preferably made of metal, such as steel, and has a width b1 between the edge areas 6. The hold 2 consists of a housing 7 having a groove 8, which may encircle at least the edge areas 6 of the insert 1 , and which may be pushed in over the insert. The hold 2 is provided with pawls 9 (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) which may under spring load engage with the toothing 5 on the insert 1 when the hold is pushed in over the insert. The spring load is provided by two tongues 10 forming part of the hold 2 and which may pivot around a connection 11 between the tongues 10 and the housing 7. At one end the tongues 10 are formed as pressure point 12 of a grip, and at the other end they are provided with cuts 13 for attachment of the pawls 9 to the tongues (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). At one end the hold 2 is further provided with a rest 14. The rest 14 serves as hold against the entrance region when the locking furniture is in operation. In the embodiment showed the rest is provided with a pad 15 having a thickness t. The housing 7 of the hold 2 is further provided with a recess 16 formed over the groove 8 and between the tongues 12 and having a width b16. The pad 15 has a certain elasticity. The pad is provided e.g. to form a gentle rest against the entrance region so that damage to the entrance region is avoided in mounting the hold 2 on the insert 1. The pad is, however, also provided to form a resilient element between the entrance region and the rest. The resilience characteristic of the pad is optional, but the pad preferably has a compression force of between 20 and 100 kPa, most preferably a compression force of between 20 and 60 kPa, at a compression of the pad of 25%, i.e. a reduction of the thickness t of 25% compared to the thickness in an unloaded state. Fig. 4 shows how the insert 1 is actually attached to the hold 2 in an application situation (although not mounted to a case of an entrance region) when the edge areas 6 of the insert 1 are introduced into the groove 8 on the hold 2. The groove 8 is formed between the tongues 10. The projection 3 on the insert 1 and the flap 4 on the insert 1 face outwards away from the housing 7 of the hold 2. Due to the toothing 5 on the edge areas 6 of the insert 1 and due to the pawls 9 (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) on the tongues 10 of the hold 2, said pawls 9 being in engagement with the toothing 5, the insert 1 may not be displaced out of the groove 8 as the pawls 9 are in engagement with the toothing 5. Fig. 5 shows how the insert 1 is only retained, and not actually attached, to the hold 2 in a transport and storage situation when the edge areas 6 of the insert are retained in the recess 16 in the hold 2. As previously mentioned the recess 16 is formed between the tongues 12 over the groove 8 and has a width b16 (see Fig. 3) which is a little smaller than a width b1 (see Fig. 1) of the insert 1 between the edge areas 6 of the insert. The insert 1 is merely pressed down into the recess 16, and by means of the interference fit formed due to the difference between the width b16 on the recess 16 and the width b1 on the insert 1 , the insert is thus retained to the recess. The projection 3 on the insert 1 and the flap 4 on the insert 1 face inward towards the housing 7 of the hold 2. It is thus achieved that the locking furniture takes up as little space as possible in a transport or storage situation. Figs. 6-7 show how the pawls 9 on the tongues 10 of the hold 2 attach the hold 2 to the insert 1. As previously described the insert 1 is provided with a toothing 5 on edge areas 6 of the insert. When the groove 8 on the hold 2 is displaced translation-wise over the in- sert, the toothing 5 on the edge areas 6 are opposite the pawls 9. When the pawls 9 are in engagement with the toothing 5 due to the resilient effect from the tongues 10, the pawls 9 lock the hold 2 in relation to the insert 1 in a backwards direction (showed by the arrow B), i.e. so that the hold 2 may not be displaced in relation to the insert 1 in the direction of the other end where the flap 4 on the insert 1 is formed. Due to the design of the toothing 5 where the teeth are directed forward, it will, however, be possible to displace the hold 2 in relation to the insert 1 in a forward direction (indicated by the arrow F), i.e. in the direction of one of the ends where the projection 3 on the insert 1 is formed. This is the direction in which the insert 1 and the hold 2 are mounted in relation to each other after the insert 1 is mounted in the case of the entrance region (see Figs. 8-11). When the hold 2 is to be loosened from the insert 1 , because securing against intrusion is no longer necessary, it is necessary to drive the pawls 9 out of engagement with the toothing 5 on the edge areas 6 of the insert 1. This is done by exerting a pressure with one's fingers on the part of the tongues designed as pressure point 12 of a grip. Thus, the tongues 10 will pivot around the connection 11 between the tongues 10 and the housing 7, and the pawls 9 will be pivoted outwards and out of engagement with the toothing 5. The insert may then be displaced forward in the direction F and completely out of the groove 8 in the hold 2 and thus out of engagement with the hold 2. Figs. 8-11 show the function of the locking furniture with reference to securing a door in a door case where the door forms the entrance region and where the door case forms the case of the entrance region. The locking furniture will, however, be suitable for use in securing other entrance regions than doors, e.g. windows, trapdoors of a loft, trap doors of a cellar or other entrance regions of a room in a dwelling or a room in another building, e.g. an office building or a storage building. Mounting of the locking furniture is carried out with the door in an open position as a starting point, i.e. the door is open or is opened. The insert is held horizontally with the face of the insert from which the projection extends directed towards the striking plate. The projection on the insert is introduced into a recess formed in the striking plate and in the door case and formed for the latch bolt from the door. At the same time as the insert is retained in its horizontal position, and after the projection is introduced into the recess, the door is closed, causing the insert to be arranged between the door case and an outer edge of the door. The insert is thus retained between the door case and the outer edge of the door by means of the projection extending into the recess formed in the striking plate and in the door case. When the door is closed, the latch bolt from the door will engage with the recess in the striking plate and in the case, and the door is thus retained as usual in its closed position in relation to the door case. Any lock on the door may then be used to lock the door to the case by means of the lock mechanism of the door itself. The hold is then pushed translation-wise horizontally in over the insert, inwards against the door by the groove on the hold being passed in over the edge areas with the toothing on the insert. The spring loaded pawls on the tongues on the hold thus engage with the toothing on the insert, causing the hold to be retained translation-wise in relation to the insert. The hold is pushed as far in over the insert as possible so that the rest is brought into abutment with an inner side of the door. Since the projection on the insert is introduced into the recess and the door is closed, the insert cannot be displaced from its position in relation to the door case. Since the hold is passed in over the insert by the groove on the hold being passed in over the edge areas on the insert, and since the pawls on the tongues on the hold are in engagement with the toothing on the edge areas of the insert, the hold cannot be displaced from its position in relation to the insert. In summary, the result is that the door cannot be opened as the door is blocked by the rest on the hold, the hold being blocked by the insert, and the insert being blocked due to the projection being introduced into the recess in the striking plate and in the door case. Fig. 12 shows the locking furniture provided with an alarm. The alarm consists of an alarm assembly 17 contained in the housing 7 by the hold 2. The alarm assembly 17 is connected to a switch means 18 and is also connected to a signaller 19. Furthermore, the alarm assembly 17 is connected to a light source 20 extending through the housing 7 so that the light source may be seen from the outside of the housing. The switch means 18 may be displaced in the longitudinal direction L and extends through a hole 21 in the rest 14 and further outwards through a hole 22 in the pad 15 attached to the rest 14 on the hold. The extension of the switch means 18 through the hole 22 in the pad 15 forms a certain part of the total thickness t of the pad. In the embodiment showed the signaller 19 is a sounding body mounted to the inside of the housing. Fig. 13 shows the pad 15 in a compressed state, which is the state in which the pad will be in case of attempted intrusion by exertion of a pressure on the entrance region such as the door. As previously described this will have the effect that the hold will be attempted to be displaced by the insert. This is, however, impossible as the insert is retained to the case (see Figs. 8-11), and by means of the toothing and the pawls the hold is retained to the insert (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). Instead the pad 15 will be compressed as showed. When the pad is compressed a distance h, the switch means 18 will be displaced inwards into the housing. The distance that the pad is compressed depends on the elasticity of the pad and the pressure applied to the entrance region. The compression of the pad actuates the alarm, which then gives a signal to the signaller. The signaller then starts to give a signal, and it has thus been indicated that attempted intrusion is about to take place. In the embodiment showed the signaller is a sounding body. In the embodiment showed the sounding body is mounted to the inside of an outer wall of the housing. This causes the housing to amplify the alarm of the signaller as the housing gets to function as reso- nator of the sounding body. In other embodiments the signaller could be a visual signaller such as a flashing red light. The light source is designed to indicate to the user whether the alarm is switched on or off. The light source may also be used in the dark to locate the entrance region when and if the locking furniture is mounted in the case. It will be possible to provide a switch means (not showed) to actuate and deactuate the alarm respectively so that the alarm does not go off unintendedly, e.g. during transportation or storage, if the pad is compressed during transportation or storage. In alternative embodiments it will be possible to provide the locking furniture with other alarms than the alarm against intrusion, e.g. a smoke alarm, a temperature alarm, an earthquake alarm or even other types of alarms, which may preferably be contained within the housing of the hold. These alarms will, however, function independent of the alarm against intrusion.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Locking furniture for securing against opening of a door, a window or another entrance region of a dwelling or a room in a dwelling, said locking furniture comprising a first part consisting of a plate part provided with a projection, said projection being designed to engage with a recess in the case of the entrance region and being provided with first engagement means, and a second part provided with a groove, said groove being designed to receive the first part so that the second part is attached to the first part, and said second part being provided with second engagement means designed to engage with the first engagement means on the first part, characterized in that the locking furniture is provided with an alarm, said alarm comprising a signaller and a switch means, said switch means being arranged in connection with a part of the contact face which in use is arranged against the entrance region, and said switch means being capable of actuating the signaller when the contact face is exposed to a pressure of a given magnitude. 2. Locking furniture according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first engagement means on the first part are a number of toothings and that the second engagement means on the second part are a number of pawls, said pawls being designed to engage with the toothing when the second part is attached to the first part, and that the pawls may be dis- placed out of engagement with the toothing when the attachment of the second part to the first part is to be disengaged. 3. Locking furniture according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second part has a contact face provided with a resilient pad characterized in that the switch means extends from the contact face and outwards through at least a part of the resilient pad. 4. Locking furniture according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second part comprises a housing, said housing forming a closed interior, and the alarm being contained in the closed interior. 5. Locking furniture according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signaller is a sounding body, said sounding body being mounted against a wall of the housing and said wall being designed to be used as resonator of the sounding body. 6. Locking furniture according to any of the claims 1-3 or 5, characterized in that the signaller is a visual signaller and that the signaller extends outwards through a wall of the housing and faces the room to be secured against opening of the entrance region so that the signaller may be seen from within the room to be secured against opening. 5 7. Locking furniture according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing is provided with a further switch means for actuation of the alarm when the locking furniture is mounted in connection with the entrance region and deactuation of the alarm after actuation of the signaller and when the alarm is no longer required, respec- 10 tively, and that the housing is further optionally provided with a light source which is turned on when the alarm is actuated and which is turned off when the alarm is deactu- ated. 8. Locking furniture according to claim 3, characterized in that the resilient pad has a 15 compression force of at least 20 kPa at a compression of 25%. 9. Locking furniture according to claim 8, characterized in that the resilient pad is made of foamed polyurethane, preferably polyurethane foam sold under the name PORON. 20 10. Locking furniture according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resilient pad extends forward from the contact face and has a thickness t and that the switch means extends forward from the contact face over a distance I which is shorter than or equal to the thickness t, preferably shorter than half of the thickness t.

Inventors: LOMHOLT SOEREN, LOMHOLT, SOEREN
Applicants: LOMHOLT SOEREN, LOMHOLT, SOEREN
Application year: 2001
Main classification: E05C19
IPC codes: E05B45, E05C19