Abstract:
A lock, especially for a lock installation, having a housing ( 3 ) mounted inside a door ( 2 ) of a clothing locker or the like, the housing ( 3 ) being for a locking bolt ( 7 ) which is moveable by a rotary handle ( 14 ) projecting outwardly through the door ( 2 ), and, the occurrence, after activation of an electronic verification apparatus ( 21 ) and subsequent queries regarding the locking entitlement of a transponder ( 19 ), of electrical guidance applying to a locking-assist element ( 26 ) to release the locking actuation, whereby for activation in the rotary handle ( 14 ) which supports an antenna ( 18 ) for querying the transponder, there is provided a switch ( 20 ) which is sensitive to rotation and/or pressure.

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a lock, in particular for a lock installation, having inside a door of a clothing locker or the like, a mounted housing for a bolt which is movable by a rotary handle extending outwardly through the door. Such locks have been known for many years on the market. With reference to the rotary handle this involves a key for a lock cylinder. Locking of the door of the locker is attained only by inserting a corresponding coin, with the door open, into a lock fastened to the inside of the door. After the door is closed, it is possible to close the locking bolt, using the key representing the rotary handle. The key representing the rotary handle can then be withdrawn, and accompanies the user while, for example, he uses a swimming facility. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention has, as its object, a lock of the kind mentioned, which is more user-friendly and secure. 
     This object is attained essentially by a lock with the characteristics of claim  1 , further involving the provision, after activation of an electronic verification apparatus and subsequent queries regarding the locking entitlement of a transponder, of electrical control of a locking-assist element, to release the locking activation, wherein, in order to activate the rotary handle which supports an antenna for querying the transponder, there is provided a switch sensitive to rotation and/or pressure. 
     The result of this configuration is a lock of the kind mentioned, having improved serviceability. It is no longer necessary to have a key to lock and unlock the bolt. Also unnecessary is a keyway of a locking cylinder accessible from the outside of the door, which can be taken out of operation by forcing instant glue or objects into the opening. The lock includes an electronic verification apparatus. The latter is accommodated in the rotary handle, and is activated by a switch sensitive to rotation and/or pressure, so that a transponder cooperating with the handle, using an antenna incorporated into the rotary handle, can be checked for locking entitlement. If this is confirmed, the result is an electrical guiding of the locking-assist element, thus releasing the locking action. For example, transponders and electronic verification apparatus can cooperate in such a way that each lock and each transponder constituting a unique closure element carries a locking-identity code storage and/or a key code storage, and each individual lock is closeable only by way of such individual closure elements or transponders, and only if the lock identity code and/or key code correspond with one another. The key-code storage of the lock and/or the lock-identity code storage of the transponder are storage facilities which can be erased and overwritten, such that, during a first activation of the lock-identity code of the lock in the lock identity code storage of the individual lock element, and/or the key code of the individual lock element in the key code storage of the lock, are entered. Consequently, the lock can be unbolted only by using that transponder which was utilized for the closing of the lock. Preferably it can be arranged that the key-code storage of the lock is erased at the time of the second use. By this means, the lock is always in a ready condition, so that a subsequent visitor with a different transponder can lock the lock and utilize the locker. However, it can also be provided that each transponder cooperates with an individual lock of the lock installation. In this case, the transponder and the corresponding lock carry the same number. To attained the inventive objective, it can also occur that the locking-assist element guides a bolt keeper from a position blocking the return movement of the bolt into a release position. In this situation the locking-assist element can be shifted by an electromagnet from a first position in which locking of the door is not possible, to a second position where the locking of the door can be carried out. In detail it appears that the guidance results from a dead-centre movement of a transfer spring. Further it is provided that the bolt is closeable against the spring force of a return spring. This makes easier the withdrawal of the bolt after the previous querying of the transponder regarding its locking entitlement. Positive movement of the bolt by the rotary handle is accomplished in a simple way by coupling the rotary handle to the bolt using a crank pin. In detail the bolt is held as a result of a dead-centre position of the crank pin. Reverse forces on the bolt are passed to the key housing, through the crank pin, such that high reverse forces can be accommodated without damage. Defined end positions of the locking-assist element are produced in that the bolt, with the locking-assist element in the second position, is held in locking position by the snapping-in of the holder element with respect to an abutment-offset in the bolt. This occurs due to the transfer spring extending beyond the dead-centre position. It can be anticipated that the armature of the electromagnet is held in each of its end positions as a result of the dead-centre positioning of the transfer spring. As an alternative, the electromagnet can be a permanent magnet, which in the first position is supported by permanent magnetic flux, and in the other position is held by an armature compression spring. Consequently, the electromagnet requires energy only when the armature is being moved in the first or second directions, such that a built-in energy storage in the form of batteries will have a long life. In order to reverse the lock left to right, the bolt itself is reversed. To achieve this, a blocking projection extending into the abutment-offset is located in the middle of the lock. Finally, an advantageous characteristic involves the provision, in the rotary handle, of multi-coloured light emitting diodes for the purpose of indicating status during transponder activation. If the green LED comes on, this indicates that the lock is bolted or unbolted in the ordinary way. The colour red indicates a problem, for example if there is an attempt to use the lock with a false transponder. A mixture of colours for the LED can be used to indicate that the batteries are no longer sufficiently charged, thus indicating that the batteries should be changed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With the above and other objects and other advantages in view, the present invention will become more clearly understood in connection with the detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when considered with the accompanying drawings of which: 
     FIG. 1 is an internal elevation of a lock secured to the inside of a locker door, with the bolt withdrawn; 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified representation of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 1, however the bolt has been closed and blocked; 
     FIG. 4 shows, to a larger scale, a section in the region of a locking-assist member, corresponding to the release position of the bolt; 
     FIG. 5 is an illustration like that in FIG. 4, wherein, due to movement of the armature, the transfer spring is in the dead-centre position; and 
     FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 4, showing the locked position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The lock shown generally at the numeral  1  is a component of a lock installation which is not illustrated, for example in a public swimming pool. In such installations, the doors of the clothing lockers are provided with this kind of lock. Each lock  1  is secured to the inner surface of a locker door  2  illustrated in broken lines. Specifically, the lock  1  has a box-like lock housing  3 . A lock cover, not illustrated, encloses the lock mechanism. From the base  4  of the lock housing  3  there extends a guide pin  5  which passes through an elongate slot  6  in a bolt  7 . The bolt head  8  extends through a bolt aperture  9  in a side wall of the lock housing  3 . The aforementioned longitudinal slot  6  is located in the bolt tail  10 . The latter supports a projection  11  to which is connected one end of a return spring  12  configured as a tension spring. The other end of the spring is secured to a peg  13 . By this means, the bolt  7  is continuously biased toward the unlocked condition. 
     The locking of the bolt  7  is accomplished by a rotary handle  14 , for which there is provided a bearing sleeve  15  secured to the unseen lock cover. The bearing sleeve extends through a bore in the locker door  2 . The rotary handle  14  is operatively connected to a crank pin  16 , which projects through a transverse slot  17  which is perpendicular to the displacement direction of the bolt  7 . Thus, by rotating the handle  14 , the bolt  7  can be closed due to the crank pin  16  being in registry with the transverse slot  17 , against the urging of the return spring  12 . 
     The handle  14  incorporates a schematically illustrated antenna  18  for verifying the legitimacy of a transponder  19 . The transponder  19  may have the shape of a coin. As an example, the transponder  19  can be provided in an arm band, in order to keep the transponder  19  on the body during a visit to a public swimming pool. 
     Alternatively it is possible to make the transponder  19  in the shape of a card-like locking element, instead of a coin. Here again it is possible to keep the card-like locking element on one&#39;s person utilizing an arm band. Further, it is possible to integrate the transponder into a watch that has an arm band, thus providing an element with multiple functions. 
     Internally, the handle  14  incorporates a rotation-sensitive or pressure-sensitive switch  20 , which, after the corresponding movement, activates an electronic verification device located under the bolt  7  in the lock housing  3 . The verification device is in electrical communication with an electromagnet  22 , likewise located below the bolt  7 , having a rod-like armature  23  capable of forward and reverse motion. A transverse peg  24  at the forward end of the armature  23  extends through a slot  25  of a one-arm lock-assist element  26 , the slot  25  extending transversely to the movement direction of the armature  23 . The locking-assist element  26  is mounted adjacent one end to a pivot pin  27 , located on the side of the lock housing. The free end of the locking-assist element  26  is fitted with a support pin  28 , around which is secured one end  29  of a transfer spring  30  configured as a torsion spring. The other end  31  of the transfer spring  30  surrounds a support pin  32  on a likewise one-arm configured holder element  33 . The latter also is mounted about the pivot pin  27 . On its upper edge, directed toward the bolt  7 , the holder element  33  has a blocking projection  34  for cooperation with an abutment offset  35  on the bolt  7 . When the armature  23  moves outwardly, the locking-assist element  26  moves with it. By virtue of the transfer spring  30 , the holder element  33  moves in the downward direction and is maintained in a condition of abutment, in which the blocking projection  34  lies beyond the displacement path of the offset  35  of the bolt  7 ; compare FIGS. 1 and 4. 
     The electronic verification device  21  as well as the electromagnet  22  are fed from non-illustrated batteries in a battery chamber  36  extending outside the base  4 . 
     It is even possible, without the use of a transponder  19 , to use the handle  14  and crank pin  16  to close the bolt  7 , even against the force of the return spring  12 . In the locked condition, the crank pin  16  reaches a dead-centre condition, looking in the closure direction of the bolt. However, in this situation the bolt is not secured by the holder element  33 . One of the variously coloured light diodes  37  incorporated into the rotary handle  14  can then be activated in the colour red in order to signal incorrect activation of the lock. 
     The locking of a previously occupied clothing locker therefore requires activation of the electronic verification apparatus  21  by way of the switch  20  provided for the rotary handle  14 . This occurs during the rotation of, and/or pressure on, the rotary handle  14 . Next, the transponder  19  for the rotary handle  14  undergoes verification using the antenna  18 . If verification occurs, electrical power is fed to the electromagnet  22 , which draws the armature  23  inwardly and entrains the locking assist element  26  in the clockwise direction. By this process, the transfer spring  30  reaches the dead-centre position as illustrated in FIG. 5, identified by the dead-centre line T—T. In the latter, the ends  29 , 31  of the transfer spring  30  are at the smallest spacing from one another. Once the apparatus goes beyond the dead-centre line T—T, the transfer spring  30  loads the holder element  33  in the counterclockwise sense, such that the blocking projection  34  moves up to contact the underside of the bolt tail  10 . If the bolt  7  is closed by way of the rotary handle  14  and the crank pin  16 , the holder element  33  will snap to the end phase of the bolt displacement in the region of the abutment offset  35 , and will block return displacement of the bolt. When such proper closure of the bolt takes place, the light diode indicates the status with the colour green. 
     Without the proper transponder  19 , it is not possible to properly close the key-bolt  7 . The transponder  19  contains in its memory (not illustrated) the locking identity code of the particular lock, whereas the memory of the electronic verification device  21  contains the locking code of the transponder  19 . If another transponder is used, the lock  1  will not open. Also, no other lock in the lock installation can be manipulated by the transponder which has the identity code of a given lock. 
     The release of the bolt  7  requires, as with the locking procedure, use of the appropriate transponder  19 . The latter is laid against the end face of the rotary handle  14 , while pressure is exerted on the rotary handle, which results in activation of the verification device  21 . After lock-entitlement is recognized for the transponder  19 , electric power is fed to the electromagnet  22 , of which the armature  23  moves in the upward direction, thus moving the locking-assist element  26 . By virtue of the transfer spring  30 , which goes beyond the dead-centre position, the holder element  33  is shifted out of its blocking position with respect to the bolt  7 , such that by rotating the rotary handle, the crank pin  16  can cause withdrawal of the key-bolt  7 , this being furthered by the return spring  12 . 
     If the LEDs light up as mixed colours, an indication is given to monitoring personnel that the batteries of certain locks are insufficiently charged. It is then necessary to replace the used batteries with new batteries. 
     With regard to the electromagnet  22 , this is a self-recharging magnet, which is sustained in the locked condition by a permanent magnetic force, and in the other condition (open or unlocked) is sustained by an armature compression spring. Electrical energy is thus only necessary for a change in the armature position, thus leading to long battery life.