GB2044327A

GB2044327A - Improvements Relating to Interlocking Doors

Info

Publication number: GB2044327A
Application number: GB7909304A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GROUP FOUR TOTAL SECURITY Ltd
Current assignee: GROUP FOUR TOTAL SECURITY Ltd
Priority date: 1979-03-16
Filing date: 1979-03-16
Publication date: 1980-10-15
Also published as: GB2044327B

Abstract

An interlocking door arrangement suitable for security vehicles is provided. Three sliding doors are positioned with the first and second doors 1, 2 spaced apart from one another preferably defining opposite walls of a cubicle within the vehicle, and with the third door 3 adjacent, to the second door. A mechanical interlock is provided between the first second doors, a second mechanical interlock is provided between the second and third doors, and a third mechanical interlock is provided between the first and third doors. These interlocks prevent the first door being opened if either of the second and third doors is open; they prevent the second door being opened if either of the first and third doors is open; and they prevent both the first and the third doors being opened if the second door is open. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements Relating to Interlocking Doors This invention relates to interlocking doors, and more particularly but not exclusively is concerned with doors for security vehicles which doors possess a mechanical interlocking arrangement.

Vehicles are being used to an increasing extent for the carriage of large sums of money and other valuables. It is therefore most important to ensure that such vehicles are secured against attack. The present invention is concerned with one aspect of security, namely that associated with the normal means of entry into the vehicle.

According to the present invention, there is provided an interlocking door arrangement suitable for security vehicles and the like, which comprises three sliding doors positioned with the first and second doors spaced apart from one another and the third door adjacent to the second door, wherein there is provided a first mechanical interlock between the first and second doors, a second mechanical interlock between the second and third doors, and a third mechanical interlock between the first and third doors, such that (1) the first door cannot be opened if either of the second and third doors is open (2) the second door cannot be opened if either of the first and third doors is open, and (3) the first and third doors cannot be opened if the second door is open.

Advantageously, the first and second doors are parallel to one another, and are arranged so that, when both doors are closed, they form opposite walls of a small cubicle or enclosure. The first and second doors can conveniently be of the same width, and the sliding action required to open the second door is preferably opposite in direction to that required to open the first door.

The third door is preferably perpendicular to the second door, both doors when closed defining between them the corner of a cabin within the vehicle.

The interlocking arrangement between the first and second doors preferably comprises a slidable mechanism including bolts at its opposite ends, the arrangement being such that when one bolt is engaged with its respective door, the other bolt is disengaged, and vice versa.

The interlocking arrangement between the second and third doors preferably comprises a pair of extension bars, one bar being fitted into each of the doors and extending outwardly therefrom so as to intersect the plane containing the other of the two bars, each of the bars including a slot shaped and positioned so that the two slots nest together when both of the second and third doors are closed, and the slots being shaped so that movement of the bar associated with one of the second and third doors is permitted provided that the other of the second and third doors is closed. This can conveniently be achieved by one of the two bars having a rectangular notch cut from its upper edge, and the other having a rectangular notch cut from its lower edge the two notches being in mutually corresponding locations.

The interlocking arrrangement between the first and third doors preferably comprises a pivoted stop member. which prevents movement of door 1 if door 3 is open, and which is biassed in the locked configuration; and an extension member attached to the third door which is positioned so that is releases the stop member (acting against the bias) when door 3 is fully closed.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of the front portion of a security vehicle having three interlocking doors; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of part of the area shown in Figure 1: Figures 3a and 3b are elevational and plan views, respectively, of the interlocking arrangement between the first and second doors; Figures 4a and 4b are plan and elevational views of part of the interlocking arrangement between the second and third doors; Figure 5 shows, in elevation, parts of the interlocking arrangement of Figures 4a and 4b removed from their operational orientations; Figure 6 is an elevational view of the interlocking arrangement between the first and third doors; and Figure 7A and 78 are, respectively, sectional views on the lines A-A and B--B of Figure 6.

Referring now to Figure 1, the front portion of a security vehicle 10 includes an entry enclosure 4 and a custodian's cabin 5. A security storage area 6 extends to the rear of compartments 4 and 5.

The security vehicle has a first door 1, a second door 2 and a third door 3. Door 1 permits entry into compartment 4; door 2 permits entry from compartment 4 into compartment 5; and door 3 permits entry from compartment 5 into security area 6. The doors 1, 2 and 3 slide in guides 11, 12 and 1 3 respectively. As can be seen from Figure 1, doors 1 and 2 are parallel, of the same width, and slide in opposite directions when being opened. Door 3 is adjacent and perpendicular to door 2. All three doors are substantially the same width.

Referring now to Figure 2, the area in which the interlocking arrangements are disposed is shown in greater detail. Doors 1 and 2 have two similar interlocking arrangements 8 and 9. These are fitted onto opposite walls of entry compartment 4 and include handles 22. The interlocking arrangements for doors 2 and 3, which include bars 33 and 34, are located in an area 7 part of which extends into the body of security compartments 6. The interlocking arrangement between doors 1 and 3 is located at 1 8. A key-operated electronic door release 1 4 is provided for door 2 in addition to mechanical interlock 9 and is effective between doors 1 and 2. A further lock 101 is provided in association with door 1, this being a hook lock, the operation of which is controlled from the exterior of the vehicle.Hook latches 102 and 103 are also provided in order to hold doors 2 and 3 respectively so as to stop them moving when the vehicle is in motion.

Referring now to Figures 3a and 3b, each of the interlocking mechanism for doors 1 and 2 comprises a sliding bar 1 5 with end portions 1 6 and 17. Sliding bar 1 5 is mounted on a base plate 19 affixed to a wall 20 of the entry compartment 4. At a predetermined distance from each end of sliding bar 1 5 there is provided a female connector 20 which can conveniently be in the form of a nylon clip. A slot 21 is provided in wall 20 and in base plate 19. A handle 22 is attached to a connector 23 which extends through slots 21 and is secured to sliding bar 1 5. Movement of handle 22 to the right as shown in Figure 3b causes connector 23 to move in slot 21, thereby displacing sliding bar 1 5 to the right.End portions 1 6 and 17 each include a bolt 24 which can extend into an appropriately shaped recess within the body of the respective first or second door.

The two bolts 24 are guided by U-sectioned members 25 which are secured to base plate 19.

Retaining strips 27 are provided ciose to the end portions 1 6 and 1 7 of the sliding bar 1 5. Each of the strips 27 includes a portion 28 which extends outwardly from the plane containing the sliding bar, base plate and wall panel. A male connector 26 is provided on extension 28, and is shaped and positioned so as to co-operate with female connectors 20. Male connector 26 may be formed of nylon or other resilient plastics material. The lower edge of sliding bar 1 5 is optionally provided with a semi-circular notch 29.

This notch is shaped so as to co-operate with an optional assembly comprising a roller 30 attached to an arm 31 forming part of a microswitch assembly 32.

In use, the handle 22 is moved to the left or right within the range permitted by slot 21, thereby causing sliding bar 1 5 to move to the left or right accordingly. As one of the bolts 24 is removed from the recess in its adjacent door, so the other bolt 24 enters the corresponding recess in the other door. Clips 20 and 26 engage one another thus preventing movement of the sliding bar 1 5 due to vibration from the vehicle. When door 1 is locked, the bar 1 5 is at the extreme right-hand end of its movement as shown in Figures 3a and 3b. In this position, the roller 30 can nest into notch 29, thereby locking the bar 1 5 in position. Microswitch 32 is operable to remove roller 30 from notch 29 when it is desired to release the interlocking mechanism from door 1.

Thus the interlocking mechanisms 8 and 9 are such that either door 1 is locked or door 2 is locked-it is impossible for both to be unlocked or open simultaneously.

Referring now to Figures 4a, 4b and 5 of the drawings, the interlock arrangement effective between doors 2 and 3 is shown in greater detail.

The main components of this interlock arrangement are two bars 33 and 34. Bar 33 is secured to an end face of door 2 while bar 34 is similarly secured to an end face of door 3. The bars 33 and 34 extend into the cavity 7 (see Figure 2) part of which extends into the security region 6 of the vehicle. Each of the bars is formed with a rectangular notch 35 or 36 as shown in Figure 5. These notches are shaped so that when both doors 2 and 3 are in their closed positions, bars 33 and 34 intersect as shown in Figure 4a.

Because of the presence of the two notches 35 and 36, it is possible for one only of doors 2 and 3 to move from the configuration shown in Figure 4a at a given time. For example, if door number 2 is opened, it will move to the left as seen in Figure 4a, pulling bar 33 to the left with it. This movement is possible because upper edge 37 of bar 33 is able to fit into notch 36 of bar 34. Any displacement of door 3 away from the position as shown in Figure 4a is prevented because of the engagement of top edge 37 of bar 33 in notch 36.

Bars 33 and 34 can move through apertures such as that marked 44 in Figure 4b which apertures are formed in the walls 42 and 43 which together define an area of square cross-section adjacent to doors 2 and 3. It will therefore be seen that this interlocking arrangement makes it impossible for doors 2 and 3 to be unlocked or opened simultaneously.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7A and 7B, the interlocking arrangement 1 8 between doors 1 and 3 is shown in greater detail. It comprises three bars 38, 39 and 40 which are pivoted together at 45 and 46. The three bars are mounted on a support plate 27 by a pivotal connection 48. Biassing means in the form of a tension spring 41 mounted on plate 47 tends to urge the assembly of bars to rotate clockwise about pivot 48 as seen in Figure 6. Bar 38 includes a bracket 49 in which there is mounted an adjuster 50. A guide 51 is located over bar 38.

Another guide 52 is provided on the left-hand edge of plate 47 as seen in Figure 6, where it serves to guide the movement of bar 40. A stop member 53 is mounted on bar 40 so that movement of the bar under the influence of spring 41 is limited by contact between stop member 53 and the edge of guide 52. The biassing force of spring 41 keeps the end 54 of bar 40 extended into the space 11 (see Figure 2) in which door 1 has to move when it is opened.

Thus the arrangement 18 acts as a lock to prevent door 1 being opened except when the biassing force of spring 41 is overcome. This is achieved by bar 34 (wtiich also is part of the interlock between doors 2 and 3): when door 3 is fully closed, as it is in Figure 2, bar 34 contacts the head of adjuster 50 and causes the bars 38, 39 and 40 to pivot in a generally anti-clockwise sense as seen in Figure 6, thereby withdrawing end 54 from the space 11 and enabling door 1 to move. The arrows in Figure 6 show the directions of movement which occur as door 3 is closed. As soon as door 3 is re-opened, the assembly of parts 38, 39 and 40 is urged by spring 47 into the locking configuration seen in Figure 6. Hence interlock arrangement 1 8 make it impossible to open door 1 unless door 3 is fully closed.

Claims

1. An interlocking door arrangement suitable for security vehicles and the like, which comprises three sliding doors positioned with the first and second doors spaced apart from one another and the third door adjacent to the second door, wherein there is provided a first mechanical interlock between the first and second doors, a second mechanical interlock between the second and third doors, and a third mechanical interlock between the first and third doors, such that (1) the first door cannot be opened if either of the second and third doors is open, (2) the second door cannot be opened if either of the first and third doors is open, and (3) the first and third doors cannot be opened if the second door is open.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second doors are parallel to one another, and are arranged so that, when both first and second doors are closed, they form opposite walls of a small cubicle or enclosure.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second doors are of the same width, and wherein the sliding action required to open the second door is opposite in direction to that required to open the first door.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the third door is perpendicular to the second door.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claims 2 and 4, wherein the second and third doors when both closed, define between them a corner of a cabin within the vehicle.

6. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the interlocking arrangement between the first and second doors comprises a slidable mechanism including bolts at its opposite ends, the arrangement being such that when one bolt is engaged with its respective door, the other bolt is disengaged, and vice versa.

7. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the interlocking arrangement between the second and third doors comprises a pair of extension bars, one bar being fitted into each of the second and third doors and extending outwardly therefrom so as to intersect the plane containing the other of the two bars, each of the bars including a slot shaped and positioned so that the two slots nest together when both of the second and third doors are closed, and the slots being shaped so that movement of the bar associated with one of the second and third doors is permitted provided that the other of the second and third doors is closed.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of the said two bars has a rectangular notch cut from its upper edge, and the other of said two bars has a rectangular notch cut from its lower edge, the two notches being in mutually corresponding locations.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the interlocking arrangement between the first and third doors comprises a pivoted stop member which prevents movement of the first door if the third door is open, and which is biased towards a locked configuration, and an extension member attached to the third door which is positioned so that it releases the pivoted stop member (acting against the bias) when the third door is fully closed.

10. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second door further includes a key operated electronic door release mechanism.

11. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a further mechanical lock is provided in association with the first door, and operation of which lock is controlled from the exterior of the vehicle.

12. An interlocking door arrangement suitable for security vehicles and the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

13. A vehicle including an interlocking door arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim.

14. A security vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.