HOOP LOCK

Abstract

A hoop lock comprises a lock body and a hoop which is lockable to the lock body. The hoop comprises a metal tube having a cavity extending in a longitudinal direction of the tube. In the cavity is a reinforcing filling. At least one hoop end comprises a locking structure for a locking engagement with a locking device of the lock body. The locking structure is formed at an outer side of the tube without forming an opening to the cavity of the tube.

Claims

1. A hoop lock having a lock body and a hoop, wherein the lock body comprises at least one introduction opening which opens into an introduction passage, wherein the lock body further comprises a locking device, wherein the hoop may be selectively brought into an open position or a closed position with respect to the lock body, wherein the hoop comprises at least one hoop end which, in the closed position of the hoop, protrudes through the introduction opening into the introduction passage of the lock body, wherein, in the closed position, the hoop is lockable at the lock body by the locking device, wherein the hoop comprises a tube formed of metal and having a cavity extending in a longitudinal direction of the tube in which a reinforcing filling is disposed, wherein the reinforcing filling comprises a granulate embedded in a binding material, wherein, in the closed position of the hoop, the reinforcing filling extends at least up to the height of the introduction opening of the lock body, wherein the at least one hoop end comprises at least one locking structure for a locking engagement with the locking device, wherein the locking structure is formed at an outer side of the tube without forming an opening to the cavity of the tube.

2. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing filling extends from a central section of the hoop at least to the height of the at least one locking structure.

3. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hoop end at the height of the locking structure has no additional reinforcing element in the cavity of the tube.

4. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the tube of the hoop is formed of hardened steel or self-hardening steel.

5. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the tube of the hoop has a circular, oval, or polygonal cross-section.

6. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the tube of the hoop has a wall thickness which is at least a quarter of the outer diameter of the tube.

7. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the cavity of the tube extends to the at least one hoop end of the hoop.

8. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the cavity of the tube extends over the entire length of the hoop.

9. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the tube of the hoop has at least one of: a constant outer diameter or a constant wall thickness or a constant inner diameter, over the entire length of the hoop.

10. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the granulate of the reinforcing filling comprises at least one of hard metal particles or ceramic particles, wherein the particles have an irregular shape.

11. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the granulate of the reinforcing filling has a grain size in the range from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

12. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the tube is larger than the granularity of the granulate by a factor in the range of 2 to 3.

13. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the binding material comprises a solder.

14. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein a boundary surface of the cavity of the tube has a roughened or drawn surface at least in the region of the reinforcing filling.

15. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises at least one movable latch, wherein the hoop, in the locked position, is lockable at the lock body in that the at least one latch is moved into a locking position in which the at least one latch is in a locking engagement with the at least one locking structure of the hoop.

16. The hoop lock according to claim 1,wherein the hoop is formed as a U-hoop, wherein the tube is substantially U-shaped.

17. The hoop lock according to claim 1, wherein the at least one locking structure of the hoop is formed by a locking recess.

18. A method of manufacturing a hoop for a hoop lock, comprising the steps of: providing a tube formed of metal and having a cavity extending in a longitudinal direction of the tube; forming, at least at one end of the tube, at least one locking structure at an outer side of the tube, without forming an opening to the cavity of the tube; filling a reinforcing filling into the cavity which comprises a mixture of a granulate and a binding material in loose form; and heating and subsequently cooling the binding material in order to initially liquefy and subsequently solidify the binding material, so that the granulate is fixedly embedded in the binding material.

19. A method of manufacturing a hoop for a hoop lock, comprising the steps of: providing a tube formed of metal and having a cavity extending in a longitudinal direction of the tube; forming, at least at one end of the tube, at least one locking structure at an outer side of the tube, without forming an opening to the cavity of the tube; filling a reinforcing granulate into the cavity in a solid but loose form; applying a stopper comprising a binding material to at least one end of the tube in order to close the cavity at that end; heating the tube and thus the stopper of binding material such that the binding material melts and flows into the reinforcing granulate; and subsequent cooling of the tube and thus of the binding material in order to solidify the binding material, so that the reinforcing granulate is fixedly embedded in the binding material.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0066] The invention is explained in the following by way of example only, with reference to the drawings.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a hoop lock.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through a leg of the U-hoop of the hoop lock according to FIG. 1 along plane II-II.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0069] The hoop lock shown in FIG. 1 comprises an elongated lock body 11 and a hoop, which in the embodiment shown is formed as a U-hoop 31. The lock body 11 comprises two introduction openings 13 at its outer side, which open into two introduction passages 15 in the inner side of the lock body 11. Within the lock body 11 is a locking device 17, which in the embodiment example shown here comprises a locking cylinder 19 and two latches 21, which may be moved by means of the locking cylinder 19 selectively into a locking position shown in FIG. 1.

[0070] The U-hoop 31 comprises two hoop ends 33 which, in a closed position of the U-hoop 31 shown in FIG. 1, protrude through the introduction openings 13 of the lock body 11 through to the introduction passages 15 of the lock body 11. The U-hoop 31 comprises a substantially U-shaped tube 35 of hardened steel. In the exemplified embodiment shown here, the tube 35 has a circular cross-section and is formed cylindrical and hollow. Accordingly, the tube 35 comprises a continuous cavity 37 extending along the entire longitudinal extent of the tube 35. The tube 35 comprises a substantially constant outer diameter and a substantially constant wall thickness along its entire longitudinal extent. The wall thickness of the tube 35 is approximately one quarter of the outer diameter of the tube 35, as can also be seen in FIG. 2.

[0071] In the cavity 37 of the tube 35 there is a reinforcing filling 51 which comprises a granulate 53 embedded in a binding material 55. The granulate 53 comprises a plurality of non-uniformly shaped particles, in particular particles having a higher degree of hardness than that of the tube 35, for example are of hard metal or ceramic. The binding material 55 comprises a solder, for example a metallic solder.

[0072] The U-hoop 31 comprises at each of its two hoop ends 33 a respective locking structure in the form of a locking recess 39 formed at an outer side of the tube 35. In the embodiment example shown, the reinforcing filling 51 extends approximately to the height of the locking recesses 39. The locking recesses 39 are formed as closed recesses, i.e. they do not form a through-hole opening to the cavity 37 of the tube 35.

[0073] In an unlocked position of the latches 21 (not shown), the U-hoop 31 can be removed from the lock body 11 (open position). If, on the other hand, the U-hoop 31 takes up the closed position and the latches 21 of the locking device 17 are in the respective locking position as shown in FIG. 1, the U-hoop 31 is locked to the lock body 11. For this purpose, the latches 21 engage in the respective locking recess 39 of the U-hoop 31 or of the tube 35 and thus lock the U-hoop 31 against removal from the lock body 11.

[0074] The hoop lock shown is characterized by being highly secure against being broke open. Due to the tube 35 of the U-hoop 31 being made of metal, the U-hoop 31 has a high tensile strength. In the U-hoop 31 shown, this tensile strength is not significantly weakened by the locking recesses 39 of the tube 35, since the locking recesses 39 do not form through-hole openings, but rather, are formed entirely within the wall of the tube 35. At the same time, the reinforcing filling 51 in the cavity 37 of the tube 35 ensures a high degree of protection against sawing and grinding due to the granulate 53 contained therein.

[0075] With regard to the embodiment example shown, it should be noted that the locking recesses 39 may also be formed as annular grooves. Instead of locking recesses 39, locking protrusions (e.g. webs) or combinations of locking recesses 39 and locking protrusions may also be provided, which for example can be formed by punching. In the case of applying a locking protrusion by punching, the tube 35 (e.g., wall thickness) and the punching process (e.g., tool, plunging depth, direction, force) are matched in such a way that the locking protrusion within its surroundings does not form any opening to the cavity 37 of the tube 35.

[0076] Instead of a U-hoop 31, a differently curved hoop or a straight hoop may also be provided, and/or the hoop may be configured in several parts, as is generally known from the documents mentioned in the introduction. In such embodiments, the geometry of the hoop end 33, the locking structure or locking recess 39 and the latch 21 interacting therewith, may be formed similar to area A according to FIG. 1.