Patent ID: 7032936

Claim:
A door lock device for domestic electric apparatus, in particular for washing machines and/or tumble dryers, comprising a hook ( 2 ) connected to the door ( 5 ), and a support structure in which is defined an aperture ( 4 ) for the introduction of the said hook ( 2 ), and in which are mounted: a rotatable member ( 6 ) biased by a spring ( 12 ) and operable in a first position to retain the hook with the door ( 5 ) in the closure position, and in a second position to release this hook ( 2 ) permitting the door ( 5 ) to be opened; a control device ( 14 – 16 ) including a pawl ( 15 ) by means of which the said rotatable member ( 6 ) can be held in the said first position; the device being characterised by the fact that the said member ( 6 ) is mounted rotatably with clearance about a main axis ( 7 ) which is stationary with respect to the support structure ( 1 ) and is, moreover, articulated in a rotatable manner about a secondary axis ( 10 ), which is movable with respect to the said structure ( 1 ), to an auxiliary body ( 9 ) which is also rotatable about the main axis ( 7 ); resilient means ( 11 ) being interposed between the rotatable member ( 6 ) and the said auxiliary body ( 9 ); the pawl ( 15 ) being arranged to retain the auxiliary body ( 9 ) in a stationary position to hold the rotatable member ( 6 ) in the said first position; the arrangement being such that if, when the door ( 5 ) is closed, a force in the opening direction of the door ( 5 ) is applied to the hook ( 2 ), the rotatable member ( 6 ) is initially free to turn against the action of the said resilient biasing means ( 11 ) with respect to the auxiliary body ( 9 ) to a position in which the said rotatable member ( 6 ) is able to release the auxiliary body ( 9 ) from the pawl ( 15 , 19 ) and then to turn, together with the auxiliary body ( 9 ) and under the action of the said resilient means ( 11 ), towards the said second position.