EP0449680B1 - Lock, especially for beverage distribution cart in airplanes - Google Patents

Abstract

The lock is equipped with an additional bolt (20) for locking the latch (7) whose displacement is slaved to the pivoting motion of an operating and unlocking lever (8), which also serves as a member for the display through the aperture (13) of the state of stocking of the cart, the lever (8) being actuated by a key bearing on its axis (9). <??>Application to beverage distribution carts in aircraft. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention has a lock that can be locked in particular for beverage dispensing cars in aircraft, comprising a control handle operating a sliding bolt by means of a return rod.

We know that the distribution of drinks and especially cold drinks, in planes, is ensured by small distribution cars which are insulated and have a plurality of shelves or lockers for the storage of these drinks. These cars are pre-lined on the ground before being transported to the aircraft. It is the cabin crew who take care of the distribution of drinks to the passengers before putting the at least partially stripped car (s) in a particular area of the plane, where they will then be picked up during a hotel stopover. They thus carry out a distribution circuit before returning to the preparation center.

During these multiple movements or manipulations, by navigating or non-navigating personnel, it is obviously necessary that these cars are locked to prevent the theft of their contents. This is why until now, these cars whose inventory is made before each departure, are sealed with a certain color by the preparation center to signify the complete endowment. On board, the cabin crew, who have an appropriate clamp, can unpack the car and ensure distribution. At the end of his service, he must replace the car with another suitable pliers, and mark in a certain way that the car in question has been stripped. This is done for example by plumbing down with another color to signify an incomplete endowment. These operations are repeated on each flight until the end of the cycle when the cars have returned to the preparation center, to be restocked.

This way of proceeding requires the purchase of a very large number of sinkers and the supply of the apparatuses or the navigating personnel with pliers of plumbing and with plumbs to unplug. In addition the particular marking of the state of endowment of each car, requires painting the pellets in question with different colors.

We understand that these materials are expensive, but apart from this drawback, the sealing and sealing operations are long and tedious, whether at the preparation center or in flight for the cabin crew, not to mention the risk of minor injuries ( broken nails, damaged fingers ...) caused by the handling of these tools.

These drawbacks have led the Applicant to develop an automatic locking lock, which can be unlocked using a key, which also makes it possible to view the state of the car and which can easily be mounted on the usual doors of said cars. cars.

Also, the object of the present invention consists of a lockable lock in particular for drinks dispensing cars in aircraft comprising a control handle operating a sliding bolt by means of a return rod, lock which is equipped with an additional bolt blocking bolt via said connecting rod, the movement of said additional bolt being slaved to the pivoting movement of an operating and unlocking lever, which also acts as a display device for a state of the endowment of the car, said lever being movable using a key authorizing the pivoting operation in both directions of rotation, and / or a key authorizing the pivoting operation only in one direction of rotation.

Another object of the present invention consists of an operating key according to claims 10 and 11.

The operating lever is integral with a pivoting axis passing through an orifice in the door located above the axis of rotation of the control handle of the sliding bolt, pivoting axis traversed by a transverse pin allowing its rotation using keys.

In addition, the operating lever is presented as a square with two branches, one branch of which carries at its end a colored patch on its face oriented towards the door, which may appear through a viewing light provided in the door at top of the axis, and of which another branch has at its end a profiled opening crossed by a small axis movable in said opening.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the lock extends vertically along the rear face of the door, between the operating lever with which it cooperates via the axis passing through a lumen of said lock, and the sliding bolt. It is recalled by a spring fixed to a latch for latching the lock and a support plate for said lock. The lower part of the lock is L-shaped, the flat end and a neighboring rounded are intended to be applied against the lower part of the return rod of the bolt.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the barrel of a key ends in a double diametric notch which can engage in the pin, on either side of the axis. In addition, the barrel of another key ends in notches bordered on one side by inclined sides and on the other by straight parts parallel to the longitudinal axis of the key which act in one direction on the pin .

• figure 1 une vue de face d'une serrure de voiture de distributions de boissons ;
• figure 2 une vue en perspective éclatée de la serrure verrouillable ;
• figures 3 et 4 des vues de deux types de clés de manoeuvre;
• figure 5 une vue de face d'une serrure, partiellement écorchée, en position verrouillée ;
• figure 6 la même vue montrant la première phase de déverrouillage et figure 7 la deuxième phase de déverrouillage ;
• figure 8 la même vue montrant la serrure en position d'ouverture.

Other particular characteristics, as well as the advantages of production and operation of the lock according to the invention, will appear on reading the following description of an embodiment, referring to the appended drawings which represent:

• Figure 1 a front view of a drink distribution car lock;
• Figure 2 an exploded perspective view of the lockable lock;
• Figures 3 and 4 views of two types of operating keys;
• Figure 5 a front view of a lock, partially broken away, in the locked position;
• Figure 6 the same view showing the first unlocking phase and Figure 7 the second unlocking phase;
• Figure 8 the same view showing the lock in the open position.

There is shown in Figure 1 the visible and known front plate of a lock 1 of known car door equipped with a folding handle 2 and a control handle 3 pivoting about an axis 4 and being able to occupy two positions C (closed) or O (open) marked on the front of the door. In the closed position shown, the handle 3 bears against a U-shaped stop 5 which can be used to lock the handle in this position. At its axis 4, the handle is integral with a return rod 6 for the operation of a sliding bolt 7 which, depending on its position, may or may not extend beyond a fixed keeper not shown in the car. It will be noted that the connecting rod 6 and the bolt 7 are located behind the front plate of the lock 1, as can be seen in FIG. 2. In this FIG. 2, the complementary and constituent parts of the lockable lock appear, which are mounted on the rear side not visible of the lock 1. Firstly an operating and unlocking lever 8 is secured to a pivoting axis 9 passing through an orifice 10 of the door located vertically and at some distance above the axis 4 of the handle 3. At the level of this lever 8, is fixed on the rear face of the door a support plate 16 crossed by a screw 17 for fixing the pivoting axis 9, which holds the lever 8 and allows its pivoting . The lever 8 is presented as a square with two branches, of which an upper branch 11 carries at its end a colored patch 12 on its face oriented towards the door plate, a patch which can appear through a viewing light 13 itself located above the axis 9. The lower branch 14 of the lever 8 has at its end a profiled opening 15, in the shape of an ovoid, crossed by a small axis 18, movable in the opening 15 which, itself, passes through a slot 19 of elongated shape provided in a latch 20. This latch 20 extends vertically and can slide along the rear face of the door 1 between the support plate 16 and a complementary guide blade 21, also attached to the door, or between the operating lever 8 and the sliding bolt 7. The lock has a particular shape with in particular a tab 22 for hooking a small return spring 23 attached to the support plate 16.

The lower part of the lock 20 is L-shaped, the flat end 24 and a neighboring rounded 25 are intended to be applied against the lower part of the connecting rod 6, under conditions which will be explained later.

It is understood that all of these parts housed behind the plate 1, namely essentially the operating lever 8 and the latch 20 are secured to each other in a particular way. Only a front part of the pivoting axis 9 is visible on the front of the door since it projects beyond the orifice 10. It is this front part of the axis 9 crossed by a transverse pin 26 which can be maneuvered in rotation by means of two types of key. On the other hand, a key 27 a, shown in FIG. 3, used only by the preparation center, the hollow cylindrical barrel 28 of which ends in a double diametrical notch 29 which can engage in the pin 26, on both sides. on the other side of the axis 9. This key 27 a allows the user to maneuver it in both directions as shown by the arrow. On the other hand, a key 27b, shown in FIG. 4, intended for cabin crew, the barrel 28 of which ends in notches 30 bordered on one side by inclined faces 31 and on the other by straight portions 32 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the key. The user can therefore turn this key 27b only in one direction for which it is the straight part 32 which comes to bear against the pin 26.

The lock thus described operates in the following manner. FIG. 5 illustrates the position of the different parts when the door 1 is closed and the lock locked.

This is the situation with the lock of a parked car leaving the preparation center. To place the parts in this position, it was necessary to maneuver the axis 9 with the key 27a to bring the patch 12 to the right of the viewing light 13.

The control handle 3 is therefore in the closed low position, and thus, in the usual way, maintains by means of the connecting rod 6 the bolt 7 engaged in the fixed strike. In this first situation, it can be seen that the lock 20 is in a high position for which its lower planar end 24 is at the level of the connecting rod 6 and consequently prohibits the return of the bolt 7 inside the door 1. It There is thus locking the bolt and the control handle. This high position of the lock 20 corresponds - by the play of the axis 18 - a high position of the branch 14 of the operating lever 8. Therefore the other branch 11 is substantially vertical and the colored pad 12 is located to the right of the display light 13. Thus, by seeing this color, by said light, there is the indication that the door is locked and that the endowment of the car is complete.

If the preparation center wishes to open the door of a locked car for any reason, it has the key 27 a.

The locked car, which has been transferred to an appliance, must be unlocked by the cabin crew using the key 27 b at their disposal. It therefore introduces the key on the pivoting axis 9 and rotates it in the only possible direction of actuation for which the straight parts 32 can act on the pin 26. At first the lever 8 will rotate, which has the first effect of disengaging the branch 11 from the lever laterally and erasing the colored patch 12 outside the viewing light 13, as can be seen in FIG. 6. This light then shows a background of a other color indicating unlocking. During this first phase of the rotational movement, the minor axis 18 has a relative movement from the bottom upwards inside the profiled opening 15 during the downward movement of the branch 14 of the lever 8. During the second phase of the rotational movement, the lowering of the branch lower 14 of the lever 8 will act on the latch 20, by the action of the axis 18 on the base of its light 19, and will make it slide down in the guide blade 21, against the force spring return 23.

We see in Figure 7 that the lock 20 escapes from the rod 6 and from there, the cabin crew can operate the handle 3 upwards and open the door. We are then in the position illustrated in FIG. 8, according to which, due to the lifting movement of the handle 3, the connecting rod 6, having made a pivoting movement corresponding to the retraction of the bolt 7 and to the opening of the lock comes to bear against the rounding 25 of the lock 20.

Thus the latch 20 is blocked in the low position against the connecting rod 6, which prohibits the return of the latch up despite the fact that the spring 23 is under tension. The lever 8 cannot therefore return to its initial position for which the colored patch 12 would reappear in the viewing light 13.

When the cabin crew have finished their distribution, they enclose the door by lowering the handle 3 which engages the bolt 7 in the strike. Under the action of the spring 23, the lock 20, released from the connecting rod 6, rises to the automatic locking position of the connecting rod 6 (FIG. 6). However, the lever 8 remains in the position of FIG. 6 for which the colored patch is not visible. This means that from the first unlocking carried out by the navigating personnel, one can no longer view the indication of a complete detection by the colored patch 12. If this navigating personnel, or that of another aircraft wants to reopen the door he must again use his key to operate the lock. But in no case, because of the unique sense of action of its key, it will not be able return the lever 8 to the original position illustrated in FIG. 5. Only the personnel of the preparation center could do this with their two-way key.

Claims (11)

1. Lock particularly for drinks distribution carts for aircraft comprising a control handle (3) operating a sliding bolt (7) via a crank link (6), characterised in that the said lock is provided with a supplemental latch (20) for blocking the bolt (7) via the link (6), the displacement of the said supplementary latch being effected by a pivoting movement of an operating and unlocking lever (8) which also plays the role of an indicator device of the state of stocking of the cart, and in that the said lever (8) is displaceable with the aid of a key (27 a) authorising the pivotal operation in one of the two senses of rotation and/or by a key (27 b) only authorising pivotal operation in a single rotational sense.
2. Lock according to Claim 1, characterised in that the operating lever (8) is fast with a pivoting axle (9) crossing an opening (10) in the door (1) located above the rotary axle (4) of the operating handle (3) for the sliding bolt (7).
3. Lock according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the part of the pivoting axle (9) located in front of the door (1) is crossed by a transverse pin (26) permitting the rotation of the said axle with the aid of keys (27 a, 27 b).
4. Lock according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the operating lever (8) is in the form of a corner with two branches of which one branch (11) carries at its end a disc (12) coloured on its face directed towards the door (1) being able to appear through a sighting window (13) provided in the door above the axle (9).
5. Lock according to Claims 1 and 4, characterised in that another branch (14) of the operating lever (8) has at its end a shaped opening (15) crossed by a stub axle (18) movable in the opening.
6. Lock according to Claims 1 and 5, characterised in that the latch (20) extends vertically along the rear face of the door (1) between the operating lever (8) with which it cooperates via the axle (18) crossing a window (19) of the said latch and the operating link (6) of the sliding bolt (7).
7. Lock according to Claim 1, characterised in that the latch (20) is returned via a spring (23) fixed to a hook tab (22) of the latch and a support plate (16) of the said latch.
8. Lock according to Claims 6 and 7, characterised in that automatic locking of the link (6) is ensured by the latch (20) freed from the said link when one lowers the handle (3) for closure of the door.
9. Lock according to Claim 1, characterised in that the lower part of the latch (20) is in the form of an L of which the flat end (4) as well as a neighbouring rounded portion (25) are designed to apply themselves against the lower part of the crank link (6) of the bolt (7).
10. Operating key associated with a lock according to one of Claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the shank (28) of the key (27 a) ends with a double diametric notch (29) being able to engage on the pin (26) to one side and the other of the axle (9).
11. Operating key associated with a lock according to one of Claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the shank (28) of the key (27 b) ends by notches (30) bordered on one side by inclined surfaces (31) and on the other by straight parts (32) parallel with the longitudinal axis of the key which acts in a single sense on the pin (26).

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