GB2421540A

GB2421540A - Padlock comprising adaptor member

Info

Publication number: GB2421540A
Application number: GB0428239A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Norcott
Original assignee: Assa Abloy Ltd
Current assignee: Assa Abloy Ltd
Priority date: 2004-12-23
Filing date: 2004-12-23
Publication date: 2006-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-23
Also published as: GB0428239D0; GB2421540B

Abstract

A padlock comprises a body (18), a shackle (16) and a locking assembly transformable between a first locking condition and a second released condition. The locking assembly includes a pin tumbler cylinder lock which includes a cylinder (1) and a plug (3) rotatable within the cylinder about the longitudinal axis thereof. The locking assembly further includes a locking member (14) and an adaptor member (12). The adaptor member (12) rotatably couples the locking member (14) to the plug (3). The locking member (14) and the plug (3) have a first rotational position, corresponding to the first locking condition of the locking assembly, in which the locking member (14) holds ends of the shackle (16) in the body (18) of the padlock, and have a second rotational position corresponding to the released condition of the locking assembly, in which one end (24) of the shackle (16) is able to be clear of the body (18) of the padlock.

Description

Padlock This invention relates to a padlock and more particularly to a

padlock that can be unlocked by a key.

Such padlocks may include a pin tumbler cylinder lock of some kind. Cylinder locks of this type are well known and are cormnonly used, for example, in door locks. It should be understood, however, that in the description below references to a pin tumbler cylinder lock are to such a lock when used in a padlock. In the case of a padlock, the lock assembly is usually specifically designed for that padlock and IS manufactured as an integral part of the padlock at the factory. The intention is that the lock assembly should remain in the padlock throughout its life and that, if there is a need or wish to change the lock assembly, the entire padlock is changed.

According to the invention there is provided a padlock comprising a body, a shackle and a locking assembly transformable between a first locking condition and a second released condition, the locking assembly including a pin tumbler cylinder lock which includes a cylinder and a plug rotatable within the cylinder about the longitudinal axis thereof, wherein the locking assembly further includes a locking member and an adaptor member, the adaptor member rotatably couples the locking member to the plug, and the locking member and the plug have a first rotational position, corresponding to the first locking condition of the locking assembly, in which the locking member holds ends of the shackle in the body of the padlock, and have a second rotational position corresponding to the released condition of the locking assembly, in which one end of the shackle is able to be clear of the body of the padlock.

By providing an adaptor member and locking member separate from the plug of the cylinder lock, it becomes possible to employ a standard cylinder lock, with little or no alteration to the lock. That reduces the cost of the cylinder lock and makes it possible to provide a wide range of cylinder locks all suitable for use within the padlock.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylinder lock can be exchanged by a service engineer in the field for another lock.

Preferably the rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member are limited and preferably the limits of rotation define the first locking Condition and the second released condition. That makes it easier for a user of the padlock to position a key in the lock and identify the correct position of the key for both the locking and released conditions. Conveniently the rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member are limited by engagement of the adaptor member with the cylinder of the locking assembly.

The adaptor member is preferably fixed to the plug.

The adaptor member may act simply as an extension of the plug providing appropriately shaped formations for engagement by the locking member. By providing the adaptor member the need for those shaped formations to be provided on the plug itself is eliminated. Preferably the adaptor member is fixed to the inner end of the plug, preferably by screws.

Whilst it is within the scope of the invention for the locking member and the adaptor member to be completely integral with one another, it is preferred that they are separate members coupled together. The coupling of the locking member to the adaptor member prevents relative rotation of the members but preferably allows relative sliding movement along the axis of rotation. The members may have interengaging formations on adjacent end faces and/or at least one pin may be inserted in bores in the end faces, the axis of the pin extending parallel to the axis of rotation.

Preferably the locking assembly is contained within a recess in the body of the padlock and a retainer plate extends across an open end of the recess to retain the locking assembly in the recess. Such an arrangement may facilitate replacement of the cylinder lock of the locking assembly. In that respect it is preferred that the retainer plate is releasably secured across the open end of the recess.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the shackle is releasably secured to the body of the padlock and can be released only when the locking assembly is in the second released condition; also, the retainer plate can be released only when the shackle is released from the body of the padlock, for example, by providing a fastener, which may be screw threaded and which is accessible only via a cavity in which a part of the shackle is received. Such an arrangement facilitates the provision of a padlock in which the cylinder lock can easily be replaced in the field.

By way of example a padlock embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a locking assembly of the padlock; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the locking assembly of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the padlock including the locking assembly of Figs. 1 and 2.

The locking assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 generally comprises three components: a pin tumbler cylinder lock having a cylinder body 1 and a plug 3; and end cap 12, which acts as an adaptor member; and a locking member 14.

The pin tumbler cylinder lock is of a standard design internally, including driver pins, springs and pin tumblers, and will not be described in detail. The plug 3 has an inner end face formed with the usual transverse slot 17 that would be used in a conventional door lock to transmit rotation to a latch but which in the illustrated application of the invention is not used. Instead the end face of the plug 3 is drilled to provide two screw threaded holes 4. Screws 7 pass through the end cap 12 and engage the holes 4 fixing the end cap 12 onto the end of the plug 3.

The end cap 12 is formed with a peg 5 which is received within a recess 2 in the cylinder body 1 when the end cap is fixed to the plug 3. The recess 2 has end stop surfaces 2a, 2b and engagement of the peg 5 with each of those surfaces defines respective end limits of rotation of the assembly of the plug and end cap relative to the cylinder body 1.

As shown in Fig. 2 the end of the end cap 12 away from the plug 3 is provided with diametrically opposite recesses 8 which are shaped to receive correspondingly shaped lugs 10 on one end of the locking member 14. The end cap 12 is also provided with a blind bore 6 and the locking member 14 has a similarly positioned blind bore (not visible in the drawings); respective parts of a pin 9 are received in the blind bores, providing a further coupling of the locking member 14 to the end cap 12. As will be understood, the coupling prevents relative rotation of the locking member 14 and the end cap 12 but allows the locking member 14 to be moved axially away from the end cap 12.

The end of the locking member 14 remote from the end cap 12 is provided with cam surfaces 11 and 13.

Referring now also to Fig. 3, the padlock shown has a body 18 that includes a recess in which the locking assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is received, with the locking member 14 received in the innermost part of the recess and the cylinder lock received in the outermost part of the recess. A retainer plate 19 is fastened across the open end of the recess by a screw 20.

The body 18 of the padlock is provided with long and short blind bores 21 and 22 respectively for receiving the long and short ends 23 and 24 respectively of a shackle 16.

The head of the screw 20 is located at the bottom of the blind bore 21 and is therefore only accessible when the shackle 16 is removed from the body of the padlock. A further screw 25 projects into a longitudinal groove 26 of the longer end 23 of the shackle 16 and thereby prevents the shackle being removed from the body of the padlock but allows sufficient longitudinal movement for the shorter end 24 to move clear of the padlock. Furthermore the innermost end of the longitudinal groove 26 intersects a circumferential groove 27 so that, when the shackle 16 is pulled out of the padlock body to its full extent, it is also able to rotate relative to the padlock body.

The long and short ends of the shackle 16 are provided with recesses on their inner sides for receiving balls 15.

In the locked condition of the padlock, shown in Fig. 3, the surfaces 11 of the locking member 14 bear against the balls 15, pressing the balls into the recesses in the ends 23, 24 of the shackle 16 and thereby holding the shackle against movement out of the body of the padlock.

This locked condition of the padlock corresponds to the peg 5 bearing against the surface 2b of the recess 2.

If a user inserts a key into the plug 3 of the cylinder lock and rotates the lock anticlockwise (as viewed by the user) or clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, then the plug 3, end cap 12 and locking member 14 are all rotated as a unit until the peg 5 bears against the surface 2a of the recess 2. Such rotational movement allows the balls 15 to move into the recesses defined by the surfaces 13 so that they no longer prevent the shackle 16 being moved out of the body of the padlock until the screw 25 engages the Circumferential groove 27 in the long end 23 of the shackle. This represents the unlocked condition of the padlock.

A service engineer is able to undo the screw 25 and with the padlock unlocked, remove the shackle 16 entirely from the padlock. The service engineer can then gain access to the screw 20 and unfasten the retainer plate 19.

Once the retainer plate 19 is removed the cylinder lock and the end cap 12 can be removed from the body of the padlock, usually leaving the locking member 14 in position and thereby retaining the balls 15. Alternatively the locking member 14 could be withdrawn with the cylinder lock and the end cap and subsequently withdrawn axially from the assembly of the end cap 12 and the cylinder lock. The end cap 12 can then be unscrewed from the plug 3. It is then possible for the service engineer to service or replace all or part of the cylinder lock. The padlock can then be reassembled by reversing the dismantling procedure just described.

Claims

Claims: 1. A padlock comprising a body, a shackle and a locking assembly

transformable between a first locking condition and a second released condition, the locking assembly including a pin tumbler cylinder lock which includes a cylinder and a plug rotatable within the cylinder about the longitudinal axis thereof, wherein the locking assembly further includes a locking member and an adaptor member, the adaptor member rotatably couples the locking member to the plug, and the locking member and the plug have a first rotational position, corresponding to the first locking Condition of the locking assembly, in which the locking member holds ends of the shackle in the body of the padlock, and have a second rotational position corresponding to the released Condition of the locking assembly, in which one end of the shackle is able to be clear of the body of the padlock.
2. A padlock according to claim 1, in which the rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member are limited.
3. A padlock according to claim 2, in which limits of rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member define the first locking condition and the second released condition.
4. A padlock according to claim 2 or 3, in which the rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member are limited by engagement of the adaptor member with the cylinder of the locking assembly.

4. A padlock according to claim 2 or 3, in which the rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member are limited by engagement of the adaptor member with the cylinder of the locking assembly.

5. A padlock according to any preceding claim, in which the adaptor member is fixed to the plug.

6. A padlock according to any particular claim, in which the coupling of the locking member to the adaptor member prevents relative rotation of the member but allows relative sliding movement along the axis of rotation.

7. A padlock according to any preceding claim, in which the locking assembly is contained within a recess in the body of the padlock and a retainer plate extends across an open end of the recess to retain the locking assembly in the recess.

8. A padlock according to claim 7, in which the retainer plate is releasably secured across the open end of the recess.

9. A padlock according to any preceding claim, in which the shackle is releasably secured to the body of the padlock.

10. A padlock according to claim 9, in which the shackle can be released only when the locking assembly is in the second released position.

11. A padlock according to claims 8 and 10, in which the retainer plate can be released only when the shackle is released from the body of the padlock.

12. A padlock according to claim 11, in which the retainer plate is releasably secured by a fastener which is accessible only via a cavity in which a part of the shackle is received.

- 10 - 13. A padlock substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

II

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims: 1. A padlock comprising a body, a shackle and a locking assembly transformable between a first locking condition and a second released condition, the locking assembly including a pin tumbler cylinder lock which includes a cylinder and a plug rotatable within the cylinder about the longitudinal axis thereof, wherein: the locking assembly further includes a locking member and an adaptor member; wherein the adaptor member rotatably couples the locking member to the plug, the coupling of the locking member to the adaptor member Preventing relative rotation of the members but allowing relative sliding movement along the axis of rotation, at least one pin being inserted in bores in adjacent faces of the locking member and the adaptor member, the axis of the pin extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the members; and wherein the locking member and the plug have a first rotational position, corresponding to the first locking condition of the locking assembly, in which the locking member holds ends of the shackle in the body of the padlock, and have a second rotational position corresponding to the released condition of the locking assembly, in which one end of the shackle is able to be clear of the body of the padlock.

2. A padlock according to claim 1, in which the rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member are limited.

3. A padlock according to claim 2, in which limits of rotation of the plug, adaptor member and locking member define the first locking condition and the second released condition.