WO2006016826A2

WO2006016826A2 - Electrical lock with status indicator

Info

Publication number: WO2006016826A2
Application number: PCT/NZ2005/000207
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Malcolm Granville; Michael Raymond Percy; Vincent Kieron King; Peter Mark Hill
Original assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Architectural Hardware Limited
Priority date: 2004-08-12
Filing date: 2005-08-12
Publication date: 2006-02-16
Also published as: AU2005272239A1; WO2006016826A3

Abstract

An electrically powered and monitored lock for a door having a housing, containing a latch bolt, a latch bolt actuating means, and a locking bar, a plurality of sensors. The sensors monitor within the lock the condition of each of the following lock features, latch bolt position, retracted or extended, latch bolt actuating means position, actuating or not the latch bolt, locking bar position, not blocking or blocking the latch bolt actuating means, and door position, open or closed in the door frame. The condition of each feature ('feature condition') is separately sensed and a signal is generated for each which depicts or indicates the feature condition.

Description

IMPROVED LOCK FIELB OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved lock and/or monitoring systems of one or more locks or systems and related means and methods. BACKGROUND

There is frequently a need to see locally and/or remotely the status condition of a lock. This may be appropriate in a prison or in a hotel. A number of situations can arise whereby, even though power is being provided to the lock actuation means (for example a solenoid) of an electrically locked lock (or is being denied to the lock actuation means of an electrically openable lock) the status of the lock itself is unknown. For example, despite the provision of such power there may be a limited amount, or no travel, of the moving component of, for example, the solenoid and/or its associated locking bar which has the role of allowing or disallowing movement (usually rotation) of the actuator (e.g. split hub) to a latch bolt. This may occur in the situation where one of the moving components within the lock is blocked or has not moved in the expected or devised fashion.

Known systems of the prior art have an indication that the lock has been activated to be in a particular state, however such an indication is not based upon whether the lock has achieved this particular state. Thus whilst a lock may have been sent a "lock" signal it will display the fact that such a signal has been sent, it is no absolute indication that the lock is in fact in the state desired, as for example an internal component may have failed or be blocked from the desired position. In such situations a false wording (false positive) may occur, in that the lock is indicated as locked (or unlocked) but in fact has not actually achieved this objective. It is also a useful provision to provide sensing for when the lock is actuated or deactuated or the door is not in fact in the door jamb. Another situation that may effect locking is the condition of the handle and thus the latch bolt at the time of any actuation of the lock actuation means. .

It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an improved lock whereby a person can see locally the status of the locking of a lock assembly in its fitted role, or it is possible for both local and remote status depiction, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention may be said to broadly consist in a lock assembly adapted to enable the provision of, or installed so as to provide, the capability, of, a local depiction of the locking status of the lock, and a remote depiction of the same locking status of the lock, wherein the status is determinable by at least one or more sensors, and wherein there is electrical isolation between the transmission to depict the local status and the transmission to provide the remote depiction.

As used herein "electrical isolation" means there is no galvanic path or electrical contact between the signalling circuitry and the powering circuit, this maybe achieved for example by via a relay, opto-couplers, solid state relay or similar. Preferably said electrical isolation is achieved by a solid state relay.

Preferably there is a monitoring of at least one of the following; i) latch bolt position ii) whether said lock assembly has been overridden locally iii) door open or closed iv) locking bar position v) latch bolt actuating means position.

Preferably there is a position monitoring of the locking bar actuating means.

Preferably said locking bar actuating means consists of a solenoid.

Preferably said lock override may be selected from any one or more of the following, from either side of said door, key override, card access (magnetic swipe or otherwise), hand, fingerprint or similar recognition.

Preferably said conditions are each monitored and sensed by separate sensing means.

Preferably there is an output signal, either locally and/or remotely indicating achievement of all selected conditions and thus the lock is locked or if one selected condition is not achieved then the lock is signalled as unlocked. Preferably said latch bolt position is monitored as fully out from said lock. Preferably said solenoid position is monitored as fully retracted. Preferably said door is monitored as either the door in the door jamb and thus closed or not in the door jamb and thus open. Preferably said lock locking or unlocking is achieved by engagement or disengagement of a locking bar with said latch bolt actuating means.

Preferably said monitoring of the locking bar and position (i.e. said lock locked or unlocked) is sensed through the positive engagement or disengagement respectively of the locking bar with said latch bolt actuating means. Preferably said solenoid controls said engagement and disengagement of said locking bar.

Preferably said latch bolt actuating means is a split hub assembly, operable from at least one side of said lock by a user's hand.

Preferably the status of the lock can be signalled when anyone or more of the following conditions is/are satisfied; i) latch bolt position is fully extended and/or ii) solenoid is extended in a lock "failsecure" condition and/or iii) solenoid is contracted in a lock "failsafe" condition and/or iv) the door is closed in said jamb, and/or v) the locking bar is engaged with and thus preventing actuation of said latch bolt actuating means, and/or vi) lock assembly not overridden locally.

Preferably conditions i), iv), v) and one of ii) or iii) must be satisfied to signal said lock as locked. Alternatively condition v) only must be satisfied to signal the lock is locked.

Preferably the status decision of said lock assembly as locked or unlocked, based on said conditions satisfied, can be made locally or remotely.

Preferably any mixture of sensor outputs can be used to indicate and make a locked or unlocked status decision via a control means (whether local or remote). Preferably said status decision is made remotely with all conditions signals being sent from said lock assembly. Alternatively said status decision is made locally and a single remote signal of status (locked or unlocked) is sent from said lock assembly.

Preferably said control means, when local, is via switch or switches onboard said lock assembly Preferably said latch bolt position is sensed by any one of, a micro switch, reed switch and magnet, Hall sensor and magnet, or optical interrupt sensor, or any electro¬ mechanical position sensor.

Preferably said solenoid position is sensed by an opto-electric device, micro switch, or other electro-mechanical position sensor. Preferably said door position is sensed by a reed switch and magnet, Hall sensor and magnet, or other equivalent.

Preferably said locking bar position is sensed by a micro-switch which senses the location of any one or more of the locking bar, the pinion gear, and/or the drive plate. Preferably said locking bar position is sensed by a micro-switch sensing the condition of said pinion gear.

Preferably said local depiction is via a visual means having green indicating an unlocked signal and red indicating a locked signal.

Preferably said visual means is indicated by a light emitting diode or diodes. Preferably where said status decision is made locally said remote signal is output as one of two DC voltage levels.

Alternatively any or all of the status of said conditions is output, either locally or remotely.

Preferably where any or all of said status conditions are output (either locally or remotely) each is a signal output as one of two DC voltage levels.

In a second aspect the present invention consists in a lock having provision for local, remote, or both local and remote monitoring of the following (i.e. one or more of (i) to (iv)) reliant upon sensors to determine,

(i) door position, (e.g. may simply depict that it is in the jamb) (ii) locking bar actuating means position

(iii) locking bar position, and/on (iv) latch bolt position, and where an undesirable condition is present where there is a failure to achieve any one of the following; door in a closed position, or locking bar actuating means in extended in a "failsafe" condition, or locking bar actuating means contracted in a "failsecure" condition, locking bar in a position to prevent latch actuation, or latch fully disposed to engage a latch retaining means (e.g. a complimentary aperture in a door jamb). Additionally the position of the latch bolt actuating means is also monitored and an undesirable condition is present when said latch bolt actuating means is actuating or able to actuate said latch bolt.

Preferably said locking bar position is sensed by a micro-switch which senses the location of any one or more of the locking bar, the pinion gear, and/or the drive plate.

Preferably said locking bar actuating means is a solenoid.

Preferably said locking bar position is sensed by a micro switch sensing the condition of said pinion gear.

Preferably said visual means is indicated by a light emitting diode or diodes.

Preferably said remote signal is output as one of two DC voltage levels.

Preferably any mixture of sensor outputs can be used to indicate a locked or unlocked state via a control means. Preferably said control means is via switch or switches.

Preferably only the status of the locking bar, by sensing of the position of the pinion gear or drive plate, is required to indicate a locked or unlocked status.

Alternatively any or all of the status of said conditions is output, either locally or remotely. In a third aspect the present invention consists in an electrically powered and monitored lock having a sense array for position monitoring within the lock of the following conditions: i) latch bolt position, retracted or extended, from the lock ii) latch bolt actuating means, actuating or not the latch bolt, iii) locking bar position, not blocking or blocking the latch bolt actuating means, and iv) door position, open or closed in the door frame, wherein the output of any one or more of the sensors of said array is used to indicate the status of said lock as locked, unlocked or otherwise. hi a fourth aspect the present invention consists in an electrically powered and monitored lock comprising or including, a sense array for position monitoring within the lock the condition of each of the following lock features: i) latch bolt position, retracted or extended, from the lock ii) latch bolt actuating means, actuating or not the latch bolt, iii) locking bar position, not blocking or blocking the latch bolt actuating means, and iv) door position, open or closed in the door frame, wherein each feature condition is separately sensed and a signal is generated for each which depicts the feature condition.

Preferably said lock can output a single or multiple status signals. Preferably said lock outputs a single signal which is depicted locally or remotely, said single signal being a chosen set of feature conditions, to depict whether said lock is locked or not.

Alternatively said lock outputs a signal for each feature condition depicting the condition of each feature locally or remotely.

. Preferably if said signal is output for each feature then there is post processing, at least if remotely depicted, to indicate whether said lock is locked or unlocked dependant on a chosen set of feature conditions.

Preferably said chosen set is a serial combination of: i) latch bolt folly extended, from the lock ii) latch bolt actuating means not actuating the latch bolt, iii) locking bar position blocking the latch bolt actuating means, and iv) door position closed in the door frame to indicate said lock is locked, if any of i) to iv) is not met said lock is depicted as unlocked.

Preferably said lock status is able to be depicted remotely and/or locally. Preferably the status of the combination of sensing the second position of locations (i) to (iv) will indicate whether the lock and door are successfully closed and locked, any other combination indicating the status of the door is not closed and locked.

Preferably said depiction locally is via a visual means having green indicating an unlocked signal and red indicating a locked signal.

Preferably said visual means is indicated by a light emitting diode or diodes. Preferably said remote signal (whether single or multiple) is output as one of two DC voltage levels.

Preferably the sensing of (i) to (iii) is sensed by micro switches. Preferably sensing of (iv) is achieved via a magnetic sensor. Preferably sensing of (iv) is sensed by a reed or hall effect sensor in the lock, and a magnet in the jamb. Alternatively sensing of (i) to (iv) may be sensed by any one of a reed switch and magnet, opto-electric device on any form of electro-mechanical device.

Preferably said indication of door closed and locked, or otherwise, is locally depicted.

Preferably any mixture of sensor outputs can be used to indicate a locked or unlocked state via a control means.

Preferably said control means is via switch or switches. In a fifth aspect the present invention consists in a lock assembly as herein described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings.

In a sixth aspect the present invention consists in a lock as herein described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings. In a seventh aspect the present invention consists in a door with a lock or lock assembly, as herein described, fitted, with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

In an eighth aspect the present invention consists in a building with a lock or lock assembly as herein described, fitted, with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings

In a ninth aspect the present invention consists in a building including a door with a lock as herein described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings.. In a tenth aspect the present invention consists in a plurality of locks as herein described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings wherein the locks have a common power supply supplying electricity to each lock in series.

Where herein the term "failsafe" is referred to, this is taken to mean the lock will be releasable form the door jamb when there is a removal of power to the lock. Where herein the term "failsecure" is referred to, this is taken to mean the lock will not be releasable from the door jamb when there is a removal of power to the lock.

The term 'comprising' as used in this specification and claims means 'consisting at least in part of, that is to say when interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings whereby:

Figure 1 is a side view of a lock with the cover being removed showing the disposition of the locking internals and sensing locations with the door closed, latch bolt extended, solenoid retracted (i.e. power on) to retract the locking bar (i.e. the lock is configured in a "failsecure" condition), latch bolt actuating means unactuated,

Figure 2 shows a close up of the solenoid and locking bar similar to that of Figure 1 except that the locking bar is extended with a retracted position of the solenoid (i.e. the power is on and the lock is in a "failsafe" configuration), Figure 3 shows a similar configuration to that of Figure 1 with the exception that the solenoid has been extended (i.e. power off) and thus the locking bar is extended to block rotation of the latch bolt actuating means, (i.e. a "failsecure" configuration),

Figure 4 is a similar view to that of Figure 2 whereby the lock in a "failsafe" configuration is shown in full side view,

Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the present invention in plan view being that of basic electric lock having only monitoring of the locking bar position, and in particular the locking bar position being monitored from the pinion gear and the signal output (either locally e.g. visually or remotely via electrical signal) is in serial with the micro switch so that the signal will only change from one status to the next on the condition that the micro switch (or other sensing means) for the locking bar is in one position or the other,

Figure 6A shows an example of the circuit diagram for monitoring the condition of features of the lock, and local depiction and a single signal, the status decision of the lock being made locally by a controller,

Figure 6B shows an example of the circuit diagram for monitoring the condition of features of the lock, and remote depiction and multiple signals being output from the lock, for remote status decision making, and

Figure 7 shows a plurality of locks in doors, installed in a building. With reference to Figures 1 through 7 is shown an electronically operatable

"failsafe", "failsecure" lock assembly and locking mechanism with monitoring and sensing of the lock condition(s). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The lock assembly 1 has a lock face 2 which is present on the peripheral edge of the door allowing the engagement of the latch bolt 19 within a complimentary receiving member in the door jamb. The lock assembly has a back 4, the lock assembly from the face to the back being recessed into the door periphery, also known as a mortice lock.

The lock assembly consists of a lock housing 3 within which are housed the components of the lock assembly, namely a locking bar actuating means or drive means 5 which in this case is an electrically activated solenoid which consists of a external coil and an internal core. Upon application of electrical power to the external coil drives the internal core up into the external coil (i.e. retraction). Upon removal of power, such as when selectively removed or in the instance of a power failure, there is no attraction of the core into the external coil and under the action of a biasing means 6, in this case a coil spring, the core is urged out from the solenoid to extend there from. Carried or actuated by the core of the solenoid is a drive plate 7 which is guided by a spigot 10.

The drive plate 7 in turn activates a locking bar 8 via a pinion gear 9 and rack 11 selectively to block or unblock with a locking piece 25 the latch bolt actuating means 12 dependent upon whether the lock is in a "failsafe" or "failsecure" configuration.

The locking bar 8 prevents the latch bolt actuating means 12 from actuating the latch bolt 19. In the position shown in Figure 1 the locking bar 8 and locking piece 25 are withdrawn and not blocking the latch bolt actuating means 12 and therefore the latch bolt actuating means 12 is unlocked, whilst in Figure 3 the locking bar 8 is blocking the latch bolt actuating means 12 and thus the lock is in a locked condition.

The latch bolt activating means 12 consists of two similar pieces in plan which are split vertically perpendicular to their axis of rotation. Thus two independent means to actuate the latch bolt exist; each actuable by a (in this instance) square split shaft (not shown) from each side of the lock assembly. Each square shaft may in turn be activated by, for example, a handle, thus depending on the location and position of the locking piece 25 behind the split hub, each half of the split hub 12 may either be allowed to rotate or not.

Sensed off each of the override blocks (one behind the other as shown) is the position of each half of the split hub. In the preferred embodiment this is sensed via latch bolt actuating means micro switches 28 (one behind the other in the figures shown). Other equivalent sensing means may also be used and are within the scope of this invention.

The position of the latch bolt 19 is monitored, in this case, by one micro-switch. The micro-switch 14 registers the condition that the latch bolt 19 is fully extended, or that it is not fully extended from the housing 3. Additional micro-switches may be used if required to sense the latch bolt being fully retracted into the housing. A reed switch 15 in the housing 3 of the lock assembly 1 is activated, when the door is closed, by a magnetic presence in the door jamb or similar to register when the door is in a closed condition or in an open position. Any other form of proximity sensor may be used however such as electro-optical, magnetic or electro-mechanical.

A solenoid sensor 16 (either a micro-switch or an opto-electronic interruption) senses the condition of the solenoid 5, that is whether the solenoid plunger is fully retracted or not. A further micro-switch 17 registers the location of the locking bar 8.

Sensed also is whether the lock has been overridden locally. The lock may be overridden by a key via a tumbler 300. An over-ride slider 301 senses the local over¬ riding via the tumbler 300. The tumbler may be activated by a key or similar mechanical means (e.g. a hand latch) or by electronic or electric means, e.g. by a swipe card, hand, finger, fingerprint or retinal scanning or similar.

The statii of each of the sensing means is fed back to a control PCB 18 and depending on the set up of the lock (eg "failsafe" or "failsecure") the remote and local indications are output accordingly.

Alternatively each of the parallel circuits monitoring the lock feature conditions may be output as multiple signals to a remote location. This enables exact monitoring of the lock status at the remote location and a decision can be made there as to the locked or unlocked nature of the lock, based on the desired combination of feature conditions.

For example when the lock is in a "failsecure" condition (i.e. power off to the solenoid, will have the locking bar 8 engaged with the latch bolt actuating means 12) as shown in Figure 3 and the door is fully closed and the latch bolt fully extended then the sensors will read accordingly, i.e. that the door is closed in the door jamb, the latch bolt is fully extended, the locking bar is in place, the solenoid is extended and the latch bolt actuating means is unactivated. This will be an all conditions met situation and thus the door will be indicated as successfully locked. The failure of any one of these conditions will indicate the door has not been fully locked.

Such a status signal would be to an LED registering fully locked as red and green if one condition is not met, i.e. unlocked. Or at a remote sensing location such as the central control station a lower voltage will indicate the failure of one or all of the conditions and a higher voltage will indicate that the successful meeting of all conditions to thus control a visual indication at the remote location. The status of each feature condition can be both locally or remotely displayed. The local display may be a two colour LED for each of the features monitored and the remote depiction may be similar. The remote location receiving multiple signals, one each for the feature conditions monitored in the lock. This may be output, for example by a number or wires, each for a particular signal of feature condition in the lock, and a ground wire or reference wire. For example where there are 5 features conditions monitored, there are 5 signal wires that can transmit one of two DC voltage levels. The lower for example may be when the condition feature has not occurred (e.g. latch bolt is not fully out), and the upper one may be for when the condition feature has been made (e.g. latch bolt fully out). The voltage levels are in reference to a ground reference wire, of for example OV. In a preferred embodiment the DC voltage levels are 0 and 12, but may be any particular set of levels desired.

The lock, sensors and control electronics are configurable such that any configuration of conditions may control any visual or remote indication of lock status. For example the reed switch may be a normally open or normally closed switch, or the voltage output for remote sensing may be high for unlocked and low for locked.

The setting of these conditions is achieved by a control means e.g. a DIP (dual in line position) switch on PCB 27. Such a DIP switch is externally selectable in the preferred embodiment. The voltage output to the remote monitoring location may vary between a number of, discrete levels, each discrete level indicating a particular combination of sensed locations. The particular combination may be set with a particular combination DIP switches.

Similarly the local depiction LED's may display a differing sequence of display, each differing sequence unique to a particular lock configuration and such remote and local depiction can be used to determine the lock status and/or fault finding.

A further preferred embodiment as shown in Figure 5 whereby the lock is in what could be termed a "basic electronic lock" configuration. In such a configuration the sensing means 35 for the locking bar 8 is located to sense the location of the pinion gear 9 (or alternatively the position of the drive plate 7) so that a positive signal indication can be obtained for the position of locking bar 8. In such a configuration the output signal (whether locally, visually or remotely electrically) is in series or senses the micro switch output and will only change from one status (e.g. open) to another (e.g. closed) dependent upon the changing of the status of the micro switch. In another words with such a configuration (in the preferred embodiment in serial) it is very unlikely to get a false positive for the condition of the lock or door.

In other embodiments (and in the preferred embodiment of the invention) the sensing means are located serially one after the other so that a fully broken (or unbroken) circuit is required to indicate one or either of the statii (i.e. locked or unlocked). The lock is there fore able to link a serial combination of monitored feature staii to produce one signal, for remote or local depiction of lock unlocked or locked status. Alternatively the lock is able to output parallel multiple signals for remote indication of each of the lock features monitored. From these signals a decision can be made as to the lock being locked or not. The electric lock has an electrical isolation between the electricity entering (e.g. for powering and/or signalling the lock) and the internals of the lock and the signal which activates the lock itself. This is to prevent a spike anywhere along the power or lines that enter into the lock affecting the internals of the circuit itself. Such an electrical isolation is also known as galvanic isolation and can be achieved by various means known in the art such as but not limited to relays, opto couplers or solid state relays. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the electrical isolation is achieved by solid state "telecom" relay.

The lock therefore can form part of a series of locks 1 installed in doors 20 in a building or buildings 310. The status of each lock can be locally or remotely depicted as locked or unlocked. Additionally the conditions of each feature within the lock 1 can be locally or remotely depicted.

The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred forms thereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An electrically powered and monitored lock of or for a door comprising or including, a housing, containing at least in part therein, a latch bolt, a latch bolt actuating means, and a locking bar, a plurality of sensors for position monitoring within the lock the condition of each of the following lock features : i) latch bolt position, retracted or extended, ii) latch bolt actuating means position, actuating or not the latch bolt, iii) locking bar position, not blocking or blocking the latch bolt actuating means, and iv) door position, open or closed in the door frame, wherein the condition of each feature ("feature condition") is separately sensed and a signal is generated for each which depicts or indicates the feature condition.

2. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in claim 2 wherein said lock can output a single or multiple status signals.

3. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said single or multiple status signals is/are depicted locally or remotely.

4. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed either of claims 2 or 3 wherein said single signal is dependent on a chosen set of feature conditions, to depict whether said lock is locked or not.

5. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

4 wherein each one of said multiple status signals is for one of each said feature condition.

6. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in claim 5 wherein if said signal is output for each feature then there is post processing, at least if remotely depicted, to indicate whether said lock is locked or unlocked dependant on a chosen set of feature conditions.

7. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 5 wherein said chosen set is a serial combination of: i) latch bolt fully extended, from the lock ii) latch bolt actuating means not actuating the latch bolt, iii) locking bar position blocking the latch bolt actuating means, and iv) door position closed in the door frame to indicate said lock is locked, if any of i) to iv) is not met said lock is depicted as unlocked.

8. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in claim 7 wherein the status of the combination of sensing the second position of locations (i) to (iv) will indicate whether the lock and door are successfully closed and locked, any other combination indicating the status of the door is not closed and locked.

9. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8 wherein said depiction locally is via a visual means having green indicating an unlocked signal and red indicating a locked signal.

10. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in claim 9 wherein said visual means is indicated by a light emitting diode or diodes.

11. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 3 to

10 wherein said remote signal (whether single or multiple) is output as one of two DC voltage levels.

12. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 7 to

11 wherein the sensing of (i) to (iii) is sensed by micro switches.

13. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 7 to

12 wherein sensing of (iv) is achieved via a magnetic sensor.

14. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12 wherein sensing of (iv) is sensed by a reed or hall effect sensor in the lock, and a magnet in the jamb.

15. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein sensing of (i) to (iv) may be sensed by any one of a reed switch and magnet, opto-electric device on any form of electro-mechanical device.

16. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 15 wherein said indication of door closed and locked, or otherwise, is localfy depicted.

17. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 15 wherein any mixture of sensor outputs can be used to indicate a locked or unlocked state via a control means.

18. An electrically powered and monitored lock as claimed in claim 17 wherein said control means, when locally based is via a switch or switches.

19. An electrically powered and monitored lock including a plurality of sensors for monitoring at least one position condition of: i) latch bolt (preferably one or both of a retracted or extended position), ii) latch bolt actuating means (preferably one or both of actuating or not the latch bolt position), iii) locking bar (preferably one of both of not blocking or blocking the latch bolt actuating means position) and iv) door position (preferably one of both of open or closed in the door frame), wherein the output of any one or more of said sensors is used to indicate the status of said lock as locked, unlocked or otherwise.

20. A lock assembly adapted to enable the provision of, or installed so as to provide, the capability, of, a local depiction of the locking status of the lock, and a remote depiction of the same locking status of the lock, and the status decision is determinable by at least one or more sensors for monitoring, and there is electrical isolation between the transmission to depict the local status and the transmission to provide the remote depiction.

21. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein said electrical isolation is achieved by a solid state relay.

22. A lock assembly as claimed in either of claims 20 or 21 wherein there is a monitoring of at least one of the following; i) latch bolt position ii) whether said lock assembly has been overridden locally iii) door open or closed iv) locking bar position v) latch bolt actuating means position.

23. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 20 to 22 wherein there is a position monitoring of the locking bar actuating means.

24. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 23 wherein said locking bar actuating means consists of a solenoid.

25. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 22 to 24 wherein said lock override may be selected from any one or more of the following, from either side of said door, key override, card access (magnetic swipe or otherwise), hand, fingerprint or similar recognition.

26. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 20 to 25 wherein said conditions are each monitored and sensed by separate sensors.

27. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 20 to 26 wherein there is an output signal, either locally and/or remotely indicating achievement of all selected conditions and thus the lock is locked or if one selected condition is not achieved then the lock is signalled as unlocked.

28. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 22 to 27 wherein said latch bolt position is monitored as fully out from said lock.

29. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 24 to 28 wherein said solenoid position is monitored as fully retracted.

30. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 22 to 29 wherein said door is monitored as either the door in the door jamb and thus closed or not in the door jamb and thus open.

31. A lock assembly as claimed in any one or claims 20 to 30 wherein the lock locking or unlocking is achieved by engagement or disengagement of a locking bar . with said latch bolt actuating means.

32. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 31 wherein said monitoring of the locking bar position (i.e. said lock locked or unlocked) is sensed through the positive engagement or disengagement respectively of the locking bar with said latch bolt actuating means.

33. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 32 wherein said solenoid controls said engagement and disengagement of said locking bar.

34. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 33 wherein said latch bolt actuating means is a split hub assembly, operable from at least one side of said lock by a user's hand.

35. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 34 wherein the status decision of said lock can be signalled when anyone or more of the following conditions is/are satisfied; i) latch bolt position is fully extended and/or ii) solenoid is extended in a lock "failsecure" condition and/or iii) solenoid is contracted in a lock "failsafe" condition and/or iv) the door is closed in said jamb, and/or v) the locking bar is engaged with and thus preventing actuation of said latch bolt actuating means, and/or vi) lock assembly not overridden locally.

36. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 35 wherein conditions i), iv), v) and one of ii) or iii) must be satisfied to signal said lock as locked.

37. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 35 wherein condition v) only must be satisfied to signal the lock is locked.

38. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 27 wherein the status decision of said lock assembly as locked or unlocked, based on said conditions satisfied, can be made locally or remotely.

39. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 38 wherein any mixture of sensor outputs can be used to indicate and make a locked or unlocked status decision via a control means (whether local or remote).

40. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 27 wherein said status decision is made remotely with all conditions signals being sent from said lock assembly.

41. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 39 wherein said status decision is made locally and a single remote signal of status (locked or unlocked) is sent from said lock assembly.

42. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 42 wherein said control means, when local, is via switch or switches onboard said lock assembly

43. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 42 wherein said latch bolt position is sensed by any one of, a micro switch, reed switch and magnet, Hall sensor and magnet, or optical interrupt sensor, or any electro-mechanical position sensor.

44. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 43 wherein said solenoid position is sensed by an opto-electric device, micro switch, or other electro¬ mechanical position sensor.

45. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 44 wherein said door position is sensed by a reed switch and magnet, Hall sensor and magnet, or other equivalent.

46. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 45 wherein said locking bar position is sensed by a micro-switch which senses the location of any one or more of the locking bar, the pinion gear, and/or the drive plate.

47. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 46 wherein said locking bar position is sensed by a micro-switch sensing the condition of said pinion gear.

48. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 47 wherein said local depiction is via a visual means having green indicating an unlocked signal and red indicating a locked signal.

49. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 48 wherein said visual means is indicated by a light emitting diode or diodes.

50. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 49 wherein where said status decision is made locally said remote signal is output as one of two DC voltage levels.

51. A lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 49 wherein any or all of the status of said conditions is output, either locally or remotely.

52. A lock assembly as claimed in claim 51 wherein where any or all of said status conditions are output (either locally or remotely) each is a signal output as one of two DC voltage levels.

53. A lock assembly as herein described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings.

54. A lock as herein described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings.

55. A door with a lock or lock assembly, as herein described, fitted, with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

56. A building with a lock or lock assembly as herein described, fitted, with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings

57. A building including a door with a lock as claimed in claim 52.

58. A plurality of locks as claimed in claim 52 wherein the locks have a common power supply supplying electricity to each lock in series.