BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present invention relates to the general field of safety locking systems, and specifically to a lock cassette and a safety door.

Security storages are often placed outdoors and left unattended. Since a security storage may remain closed over long periods of time, the locking mechanism may corrode, which may ultimately lead to malfunctioning of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is generally built into the door of the safety storage, with the consequence that the locking mechanism cannot be repaired without dismantling the door of the safety storage, leaving the contents of the storage exposed during repairs. Repairing the locking mechanism on site requires transporting a large number of spare parts to the site, since the problem is generally unknown. Once the repair of the door has started, the safety storage cannot be left without leaving its content unguarded. The repairs can thus generally not be started one day and finished on another.

An ordinary door has a locking mechanism that is easy to replace, but such a solution is unfit for a safety storage. Security storages and similar spaces for storing items such as weapons, explosives and valuable materials require doors which can withstand illicit entry. One way of reinforcing a door is to include concrete and/or various metals in the door material.

However, this does not hinder illicit entries where the door is opened by tampering or damaging the locking system of the door. In some cases, the locking system is tampered with using keys and key-like objects, while in other cases the locking system is tampered with by drilling or other types of attack.

There is a need for a locking system than can be easily repaired. There is also a need for a locking system that does not unlock when it is tampered with.

The present invention relates, according to an aspect thereof, to a lock cassette, comprising: at least one lock bolt connecting piece, adapted for releasable engagement with a lock cassette engaging end portion of a door integrated lock bolt of a door when the lock cassette is mounted in a lock cassette receiving cavity of the door; a lock bolt maneuvering mechanism, configured to displace the at least one lock bolt connecting piece between an extended position and a retracted position, to thereby displace the lock bolt between an extended position and a retracted position; and at least one lock bolt locking arrangement, configured to lock the movability of the at least one lock bolt connecting piece when a locking action is effected, and unlock the movability of the at least one lock bolt connecting piece when an unlocking action is effected. When a locking action has been effected, and the movability of the lock bolt connecting piece is locked, the lock bolt connecting piece, and thereby the lock bolt, cannot be moved until an unlocking action is effected. Such a lock cassette can be mounted into a door comprising door integrated lock bolts and interact with these lock bolts. If there is a problem with the locking mechanism, the lock cassette can easily be removed and replaced with another similar lock cassette.

In embodiments, each lock bolt connecting piece is arranged to engage with the lock cassette engaging end portion of a corresponding door integrated lock bolt when the lock cassette is inserted into the cassette receiving cavity of the door in a direction perpendicular to the door integrated lock bolts. In embodiments, the lock bolt connecting piece is a plate with a cavity, and engages a groove in the lock cassette engaging end portion of the corresponding door integrated lock bolt in a fork like engagement. The other way around is also possible, so that the lock bolt connecting piece contains a groove, and the lock cassette engaging end portion comprises a cavity which engages the groove. Any type of releasable engagement between the lock bolt connecting piece and the lock cassette engaging end portion of a corresponding door integrated lock bolt is conceivable. This enables a simple yet effective engagement of the lock cassette with the lock bolts.

In embodiments, the lock cassette further comprises at least one cassette integrated lock bolt, configured to also be displaced by the lock bolt maneuvering mechanism between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the movability of the cassette integrated lock bolt is also locked and unlocked by the lock bolt locking arrangement. This enables easy integration of an extra lock bolt into a safety door, in the position where the lock cassette is mounted.

In embodiments, the at least one lock bolt locking arrangement comprises a key receiving cavity configured to interact with a corresponding key, the locking action being the tuning of the key in one direction in the key receiving cavity, and the unlocking action being the turning of the key in the opposite direction in the key receiving cavity. The at least one lock bolt locking arrangement may e.g. comprise a lock bolt safety locking mechanism which is arranged to immobilize and permanently lock the movability of the at least one lock bolt connecting piece and any cassette integrated lock bolt when the key receiving cavity is tampered with. This means that the lock bolts are impossible to retract, and thus the door cannot be opened by simply destroying the locking system.

The lock bolt safety locking mechanism may e.g. comprise a biasing arrangement, a biasing releaser, and a connector, for example in the form of a wire, connecting the biasing arrangement to the biasing releaser. The biasing releaser may e.g. comprise a fragile material arranged to break when the key receiving cavity is tampered with, thereby releasing the biasing arrangement so that the lock bolt connecting pieces (and thereby the lock bolts) and any cassette integrated lock bolt become immobilized and permanently locked. The biasing arrangement may e.g. be spring biased, and may e.g. comprise two parallel springs. This is a simple yet effective embodiment of a tamper-proof locking system, but other embodiments are of course also possible, as long as the lock bolt safety locking system permanently locks the movement of the lock bolts when the key receiving cavity is tampered with.

In embodiments, the lock cassette comprises at least two lock bolt locking arrangements, each of which comprising a lock bolt safety locking mechanism. Each lock bolt locking arrangement may be connected to any number of lock bolt connecting pieces, and thereby to any number of lock bolts. Each lock bolt locking arrangement may comprise a key receiving cavity configured to interact with a corresponding key, which means that at least two keys are necessary for opening the door if there are at least two lock bolt locking arrangements. This makes the locking system safer.

In embodiments, the lock bolt maneuvering mechanism comprises a coupling which is rotatable around a rotation axis and operably connected to the lock bolt connecting piece, and also to any cassette integrated lock bolt, to translate a rotational movement of the coupling to a rectilinear movement of the lock bolts. The coupling may be operated from the outside of the cassette by a turning device. This makes it easy to open the door when the lock bolts are unlocked.

In embodiments, the lock bolt maneuvering mechanism is electronically operated based on a received signal. The signal may be triggered at least partly by the locking and unlocking actions, such as the turning of the key in the key receiving cavity. This enables automatic opening of the door as soon as it has been unlocked, without manual actuation of the lock bolt maneuvering mechanism.

The present invention further relates to a safety door comprising a lock cassette receiving cavity adapted for receiving an exchangeable lock cassette, and at least one door integrated lock bolt having a wall engaging end portion and a lock cassette engaging end portion. Such a safety door is easy to repair by exchanging the exchangeable lock cassette.

The present invention further relates to a safety door comprising a lock cassette receiving cavity, the above described lock cassette inserted into the lock cassette receiving cavity, and at least one door integrated lock bolt having a wall engaging end portion and a lock cassette engaging end portion, wherein each lock bolt connecting piece of the lock cassette is engaged with a corresponding lock cassette engaging end portion of the door integrated lock bolt. Such a safety door is easy to repair by removing the lock cassette and replacing it with another similar lock cassette.

In embodiments, the safety door comprises at least two door integrated lock bolts. This makes the safety door safer.

The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, which are incorporated into this section by reference. A more complete understanding of embodiments of the invention will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed description of one or more embodiments.

Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings that will first be described briefly.

