Patent ID: 7029040

Claim:
A device for locking a closure ( 2 ) with a housing of a laboratory centrifuge, the locking device comprising: at least one swiveling lever ( 8 ) pivotally supported about an axis of rotation ( 7 ) in the housing ( 1 ) and including a projecting guide element ( 9 ); at least one drive ( 19 ) for pivoting at least one swiveling liver ( 8 ) about the axis of rotation ( 7 ); at least one catch hook ( 12 ) supported on the swiveling lever ( 8 ) at a distance from the axis of rotation ( 7 ) on a pivot axis ( 11 ) and having at a radial distance from the pivot axis ( 11 ), a cam segment ( 14 ) concentric thereto, into which the guide element ( 9 ) of the swiveling lever ( 8 ) engages, the cam segment ( 14 ) forming opposite first final stop ( 14 ′) and second final stop ( 14 ″); and at least one spring means ( 17 ) for biasing the at least one catch hook ( 12 ) in a closing direction thereof, wherein the closure ( 2 ) has at least one closing edge ( 4 ) which is gripped upon the closure being locked with the housing ( 1 ) by the at least one catch hook ( 12 ), wherein with the at least one swiveling lever ( 8 ) being pivoted in the closing direction, the at least one spring means ( 17 ) pull the at least one catch hook ( 12 ) to a position in which the first final stop ( 14 ′) lies on the guide element ( 9 ) to provide for pivoting the at least one catch hook in the closing direction thereof with the at least one swiveling lever ( 8 ), wherein with the at least one catch hook ( 12 ) impinging on the closing edge ( 4 ) and with the swiveling lever ( 8 ) still being pivoted in the closing direction until the guide element ( 9 ) moves within the cam segment ( 14 ) to the second final stop ( 14 ″) thereof, the at least one swiveling lever ( 8 ) moves the pivot axis ( 11 ) with the at least one catch hook ( 12 ) in the closing direction, with the at least one catch hook ( 12 ) pulling the closure ( 2 ) into a closing position thereof, and wherein the at least on swiveling lever ( 18 ) has on a marginal area extending around the axis of rotation and having a circle arc shape, a series of teeth ( 10 ) which interact with a series of teeth ( 20 ) of the at least one drive ( 19 ) for pivoting the at least one swiveling lever ( 8 ) about the axis of rotation ( 7 ).