US3518852A - Combination padlock - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1970 J. L. ORR 3,518,852

GOMBINAT ION PADLOCK Filed Dec. 4, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 7, 1970 J. L. ORR 3,518,852

COMBINATION 'PADLOCK Filed Dec. 4, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 7, 1970 J. L. ORR

COMBINATION PADLOGK 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 4, 1967 United States Patent Oflice 3,518,852 Patented July 7, 1970 US. Cl. 70-25 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination padlock having a rotating dial and a fixed dial on a lock body of the Vernier principle with an odd number of characters on one dial part and an even number of characters on the other part. A reciprocable and rotatable shackle is mounted in the lock body, and a bolt for locking the shackle is pivoted at a precise point to allow for locking of the shackle on both sides thereof. The combination lock utilizes a bottom combination disk, a middle disk and a top disk that is clinched onto and rotatable with the rotating dial and can be secured to the dial in any one of multiple positions to vary the combination of the lock. Also the bottom and middle disks have variably located embossments to vary the dial set tings. A combination disk disperser is mounted on the lower end of the bolt and has an end that is cammed into notches in the lower two combination disks when the shackle is withdrawn and, when the shackle is inserted, the bolt is pivoted to move a fence out of the gate in the disks and the dispersing member spins the two lower disks to upset the disk arrangement.

The present invention relates to a combination padlock and more particularly to a combination shackle lock which is designed to fit the hand for ease of operation and has a double locking arrangement for the lock shackle.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a combination padlock having a Vernier-type dial arrangement utilizing a fixed dial and a rotating dial. One dial has an odd number or quantity of equally spaced characters thereon, and the other dial has an even number or quantity of characters thereon so that when a character on the rotating dial is aligned with a character on the fixed dial, none of the other characters on either dial are aligned. The characters can be either letters or numbers or a combination of the two. The lock is shaped to fit the hand and the rotating dial has no central protruding grip but is low in profile to facilitate actuation of the dial by the thumb of either hand while holding the lock in that hand.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combination padlock having a reciprocable and rotatable lock shackle cooperating with a lock bolt pivotally mounted in the lock casing. The lock shackle has a short leg provided with a hook cooperating with a hook on one end of the bolt and a long end having a wedgetype notch receiving a wedge-shaped portion formed on and adjacent the opposite end of the bolt. The bolt is mounted on a post in the lock casing intermediate the ends thereof to pivot at this precise point and thus allow locking of the shackle on both sides.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a combination padlock having a combination dis'k dispenser secured to the lower end of the pivotal bolt. The lock includes a top disk secured to the rotating dial and two additional disks therebelow. The two lowermost disks have a notch therein which receives the free end of a dispersing arm, secured at its opposite end to the pivotal bolt, when the bolt is pivoted as the shackle is withdrawn. When the shackle is inserted into the lock body, the bolt is pivoted in the opposite direction and the end of the dispersing arm spins the two lower disks, thereby upsetting the disk arrangement.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a combination padlock having a pivotal lock bolt with an integral fence to be inserted into aligned gate notches in the combination disks when the proper combination has been dialed and the shackle withdrawn. Then fence must be withdrawn from the gate formed by the aligned gate notches prior to operation of the disk disperser. The disks are always free to turn when the shackle is in its normal position because there is clearance between the fence and the disks which is maintained by the shape of the disperser; the disperser holding the fence on the bolt away from the periphery of the disks.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a combination padlock which is diflicult to open by an unauthorized person without the combination. Where the gate notches on the combination disks are not aligned with the fence on the bolt and the shackle is pulled, the slight movement on the shackles book will cause the hook of the bolt to pivot which will carry the fence of the bolt into the circumference of the disks. The top disk secured to the rotating dial has shallow notches on the periphery thereof of the same width as the gate notch, and therefore, the gate notch cannot be related to the dial through distinguishing by feel to learn of the dialing requirements, thus providing security to the locks combination.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efliciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the combination padlock of the present invention showing the verniertype dial.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view of the combination padlock taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but with the parts shown in their positions with the shackle withdrawn.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the lock casing with the rear plate and the interior parts and rotating dial removed.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged exploded or disassembled perspective view of the rear plate of the lock casing, the disk lift spring, the bottom disk and spacer, and the middle disk and spacer.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front elevational view of the middle combination disk.

FIG. 10 is an edge elevational view of the disk of FIG. 9

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the rotating dial with its letter characters posi tioned over the fixed dial with its numerical characters.

FIG. 12 is an edge elevational view of the rotating dial of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the rotating dial but on a smaller scale than FIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged front elevational view of the top combination disk.

FIG. 15 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the longer leg of the lock shackle.

FIG. 17 is a horizontal cross sectional view on the line 1717 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lock bolt and fence and the combination disk disperser.

FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the bolt and dispenser of FIG. 18 taken from the right-hand side.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 1 to 3 disclose a combination padlock having a lock housing or casing 11 with a front wall 12 and a side wall 13; the lock housing being open at the rear thereof and a back plate 14 is clinched onto the housing 11 to enclose the lock 10. The lock includes a reciprocable U-shaped shackle 15 having a short leg 16 with a hook 17 adjacent the end and a long leg 18.

Adjacent the end 19 of the leg 18 is a wedge-shaped or substantially V-shaped notch 21 normally facing the interior of the lock body, and spaced above the upper end of the notch 21 is an annular groove 22 receiving a shackle pin 23 (FIGS. 4, 5, 16 and 17) which is mounted in a solid portion 24 of the housing 11 having a cylindrical passage 25 receiving the leg 18. Above the annular groove 22 the leg 18 is provided with a flattened surface 26 terminating at its upper end in a transverse shoulder 27. This flattened surface 26 cooperates with the shackle pin 23 (FIGS. 16 and 17) to allow limited reciprocable movement of the shackle 15 relative to the lock housing 11. The housing also has an opening 28 to receive the short leg 16 of the shackle 15.

The front wall 12 of the lock housing 11 includes an integral fixed dial 29 thereon having a central opening 31 (FIG. 7) therethrough into the housing and shown with an odd number of numerals 32 (several numerals in FIG. 11) circumferentially spaced thereon. Over the fixed dial 29, and concentric therewith, is a complementary rotating dial 33 having a circular body 34 with an even number of characters 35 thereon (shown as six letters), and an even number of circumferentially equally spaced window notches 36 formed in the periphery of the dial 33 and aligned with the letters 35 on the rotary dial 33. Rotating the dial 33, the window notches 36 of the dial reveal one of the charatcers on the fixed dial. The rotary dial 33 is formed with depressions 37 on the face thereof intermediate the window notches 36 for ease of manual dialing, and on the rear surface 38, a fluted circular central projection 39 is provided with a central projecting annular hollow stem 41; the projection 39 and the hollow stem 41 extending through the opening 31 in the fixed dial 29 and a top combination disk 46.

The rear face 42 of the front wall 12 of the housing 1 1 includes a rearwardly extending pivot pin 43 offset from the opening 31, and around the opening 31 are etched or engraved a series of positioning grooves 44 having numerals associated therewith to indicate the top combination disk number choice which is determined by a lug on the disk, and a stippled locator portion 45 provides a gate check indicator (FIG. 7). A top combination disk 46 (FIGS. 14 and 15) has a central opening 47 therethrough receiving the hollow stem 41 with the stem being clinched onto the top disk, and a grooved or serrated recess 48 around the opening 47 is complementary to and receives the grooved or serrated projection 39 of the rotating dial 33 so that the dial 33 and top disk 46 rotate together. The serrated arrangement of the projection 39 and the recess 48 allow for a plurality of positions of the disk 46 relative to the dial 33. each providing a dilferent combination setting for this disk.

As seen in FIG. 15, the opening 47 in the disk 46 is enlarged or stepped at 49 to allow for the clinching operation of the hollow stem 41 onto the disk. The front face of the top disk 46 is provided with an annular flange 51 defining the internal serrated recess 48 with the periphery of the flange 51 conformably received in the opening 31 in the housing 11 (FIG. 6). The periphery 52 of the disk 46 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced shallow notches 53 (FIG. 14) and a single gate notch 54; the shallow notches 53 being of the same width as the gate 54 for a purpose to be later described. The rear face of the disk is provided with a rearwardly projecting embossment or lug 55 adjacent the periphery of the disk.

The interior ofthe back plate 14 (FIGS. 6 and 8) of the padlock 10 includes an annular embossment forming a pivot pin support 56 having a central circular recess 57 receiving the inner end of the rearwardly extending pivot pin 43; the support 56 including a lateral guide 58 for a bolt to be later described. Aligned with the hollow stem 41 of the rotating dial 33 is a post 59 having a longitudinally extending slot 61 therein, and an annular embossment 62 is spaced from and surrounds the post 59. The embossment 62 is interrupted by a dialed disk gate check indicator (behind the post in FIG. 8) similar to and aligned with the stippled indicator 45 formed on the rear face 42 of the casing 11 (FIG. 7). A disk lift spring 63 is positioned on the post 59 with one end seated within the embossment 62 and the opposite end abutting a bottom combination disk 64.

The bottom disk 64 has a central opening 65 accommodating the post 59, a gate notch 66 and a disperser notch 67 formed on the periphery of the disk and spaced apart by an angle of approximately 90. The bottom disk also has an embossment or pin 68 on the forward face of the disk and shown as positioned between the notches 66 and 67. Although the embossment 68 is shown between the notches, it can be formed on the disk at numerous other positions to provide for various combination dial settings for the first number of the combination.

A middle disk 69 is separated from the bottom disk 64 by a circular spacer 71 having a central opening 72 with an inward extending tongue or projection 73. The central opening 72 receives the post 59 with the tongue or projection 73 entering the slot 61 in the post to prevent rotation of the spacer. Thus, motion is not transferred from disk to disk by friction but only by the embossments or pins on the disks. The middle disk 69 has a central opening 74, a gate notch 75 and a disperser notch 76, a rearwardly extending embossment or pin 77 and a forwardly extending embossment or pin 78. The positioning of both of these pins 77 and 78 will determine the dial setting for the second number of the combination. A second spacer 71 is positioned on the post 59 between the top disk 46 and the middle disk 69, and the post 59 enters the hollow stem 41 of the rotating dial 33.

The embossment or pin 55 on the top disk 46, the pins 77 and 78 on the middle disk 69 and the pin 68 on the bottom disk 64 are all positioned outside of the periphery of the spacers 71, 71 so that these various pins can cooperate together and rotation of the dial 33 will, under certain conditions, rotate the middle disk 69 and bottom disk 64 as well as the top disk 46.

A pivotal lock bolt 79 (FIG. 18) has an opening 81 intermediate the ends thereof to receive the bolt pivot pin 43 and includes an upper end 82 having a hook 83 cooperating with the book 17 on the short leg 16 of the shackle 15, and the opposite end 84 is offset from the end 82 and has a depending undercut projection 85. Adjacent the end 84 on the outer edge of the bolt is a wedgeshaped portion 86 which is conformably received in the wedge-shaped notch 21 in the leg 18 of the shackle 15, and a laterally extending fence 87 integral with the bolt is formed on and projects inwardly from the inner edge 88 of the bolt adjacent the end 84. The fence 87 is generally opposite the wedge portion 86 on the outer edge thereof.

Secured to the end 84 of the bolt 79 is a combination disk disperser 89 formed of flat spring steel having a fiat portion 91 with an opening therein receiving the undercut projection to secure the disperser to the bolt, 21

downwardly bent portion 92 and an upwardly and inwardly bent portion 93 terminating in a generally inwardly exteding end 94. As see in FIG. 4, when the shackle 15 is in its locked position, the bolt 79 is pivoted clockwise by the contact of disperser 89 on the camming surface 95 of the housing thereby fixing the clearance between the periphery 52 of the top disk 46 and the fence 87. The end 94 of the disperser 89 is shaped so clearance will be maintained with the periphery of the bottom disk 64 and the middle disk 69.

When the disks 46, 69 and 64 all have their gate notches 54, 75 and 66, respectively, aligned with the fence 87 and the shackle 15 is withdrawn (FIG. 5), the bolt 79 is pivoted counterclockwise with the fence 87 moving into the notches 54, 75 and 66 and the bent portion 93 of the disperser 89 abutting a shoulder 96 formed on the cam surface 95 in the side wall 13 so that the end 94 is bent and projects into the aligned disperser notches 67 and 76 of the bottom disk 64 and middle disk 69, respectively. Then when the shackle 15 is inserted in the padlock housing 11, the bolt 79 is pivoted clockwise and, once the fence 87 is removed from the gate notches, the end 94 of the disperser 89 in disengaging the notches 67 and 76, spins the lower two disks to upset the disk arrangement at the prescribed combination setting.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 11, the rotating dial 33 has siX letters (A through F) thereon while the fixed dial 29 has seven numerals (1 through 7) thereon. Thus a combination setting for a combination disk would be the combination of a letter and a numeral, i.e. D-7. Further, the combination to open the padlock 10 would have three letter-numeral combinations, such as E2, F2, A1.

Considering the operation of the padlock with the shackle in its normal locked position as seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, the user manually rotates the rotating dial 33 at least two complete turns in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1, so that the pin 55 on the top disk will contact the pin 78 on the middle disk 69, thus picking up and rotating this disk, and rotation of this disk will cause the other pin 77 on the middle disk 69 to abut the pin 68 on the bottom disk 64 and thus pick up and rotate this disk. When the first combination setting for the bottom disk 64 is reached with the gate notch 66 aligned with the location portion 45, then the dial is rotated in a counterclockwise direction for one complete turn so that the pin 55 picks up pine 78 on the middle disk in the opposite direction and rotates the two disks to the second combination setting where the gate notch 75 will be aligned with notch 66 and with locator portion 45. Then the dial 33 is again rotated in the clockwise direction to leave the second disk 69 and is positioned at the third combination setting where the gate notch 54 in the top disk 46 will be aligned with notches 75 and 66 and with the path of travel of the fence 87.

If the shackle is pulled away from the lock housing 11, the force on the hook 17 of the shackle 15 is transferred to the hook 83 of the bolt 79 and the bolt is pivoted counterclockwise around the pivot pin 43. Simultaneously with the bolt 79 leaving the hook 17 of the shackle 15 on the short leg 16, the wedge portion 86 of the bolt leaves the wedge-shaped notch 21 in the long leg 18. The shackle pin 23 cooperating with the fiattened surface 26 allows reciprocation of the shackle 15 to the position shown in FIG. 5 where the annular groove 22 cooperating with the pin 23 allows rotation of the shackle 15 around the axis of the long leg 17.

Simultaneous with the action of the shackle 15 and the bolt 79, the disperser 89 goes into action. As the disperser 89 is secured to the lower end 84 of the bolt 79, when the bolt is driven into its pivoting action with the fence 87 entering the gate notches 54, 75, 66 of the combination disks, the end 94 of the disperser 89 contacts the circumference of the two lower disks 64, 69 and this end is guided into the dispersing notches 67 and 76 of these two disks by the fixed shoulder 96 of cam on the housing 11 abutting the bent portion 93 of the disperser.

Now with the shackle 15 withdrawn, the bolt 79 has pivoted to the unlocked position and the disperser end 94 is in the dispersing notches 67, 76. Also, the end 19 of the shackle leg 18 contacts the outer edge of the bolt 79 adjacent the wedge portion 86 to prevent the bolt from pivoting to its locked position while the shackle is in the unlocked position.

When the padlock 10 is to be locked, the shackle 15 is pivoted so that the short leg 16 is aligned with the opening 28 and the shackle 15 is inserted into the housing 11. The hook 17 on the leg 16 will act on the mating fit of the hook 83 on the bolt 79 to initiate the pivoting action of the bolt; the wedge portion 86 of the bolt pivoting into the wedge notch 21 of the leg 18 of the shackle simultaneously with the engagement of the hooks 17 and 83. Also, the fence 87 will be moved out of the notches forming the gate. The disperser end 94 remains in the notches 67, 76 and the disperser 89 flexes against the disks 64, 69 tending to turn them and, at the instant that the fence is out of the gate, the flexing action is spent by spinning the two lower disks 64 and 69, thereby upsetting the disk arrangement. The bolt 79 has then returned to its locked position (FIG. 4) and is held there by the disperser 89 acting against the wall 13 of the housing 11.

The disks 54, 69 and 64 are always free to turn when the shackle 15 is in its normal locked position because of the inner curved edge 88 of the bolt and the clearance between the fence 87 and the disks. This clearance is maintained by the shape of the disperser 89 which holds the fence on the bolt away from the periphery of the disks. Also when the gate for the fence 87 has not been made by dialing the proper combination, and if the shackle 15 is pulled, the slight movement on the shackles hook 17 will cause the hook 83 of the bolt 79 to pivot and this movement will carry the fence 87 into the circumference of the disks. Since the top disk 54, which is integral with the rotating dial 33, has notches 53 of the same width as the gate notches, the gate notch 54 cannot be related to the dial thereby giving security to the locks combination as the gate notches cannot be detected.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. A combination padlock assembly comprising a lock housing, shackle locking components including a shackle having a short leg with a hook adjacent the end thereof and a long leg with a wedge-shaped notch adjacent the end therof, and a pivotally mounted lock bolt having a hook at one end engageable with said hook on the short leg of the shackle and a wedge portion adjacent the opposite end engageable with the wedge-shaped notch in the long leg of the shackle, a plurality of rotatable combination disks including a top disk, a middle disk, and a bottom disk, each having a gate notch, a fence on said bolt receivable in said gate notches when properly aligned, a disperser secured to said opposite end of said lock bolt, said disperser having an upwardly and inwardly bent free end, and said middle and bottom disks each having a disperser notch spaced from said gate notch and adapted to receive the free end of said disperser.

2. A combination padlock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said lock housing includes a cam surface engageable with said disperser when the lock bolt is pivoted to unlocked position to cam the end of the disperser into said disperser notches.

3. A combination padlock assembly as set forth in claim 2, in which when the shackle is re-inserted in the lock housing to pivot said lock bolt to its locked position, said disperser flexes against the disks until the fence is removed from the gate notches to release the disks and the force in said disperser spins the lower disks to upset the combination setting.

4. A combination padlock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said disperser acting on said lock bolt 7 when in locked position maintains clearance between said fence and said combination disks to provide free rotation of said rotating dial and said combination disks.

5. A combination padlock assembly comprising a lock housing, shackle locking components including a shackle having a short leg with a hook adjacent the end thereof and a long leg with a wedge-shaped notch adjacent the end thereof, and a pivotally mounted lock bolt having a hook at one end engageable with said hook on the short leg of the shackle and a wedge portion adjacent the opposite end engageable with the wedge-shaped notch in the long leg of the shackle, a plurality of rotatable combination disks each having a gate notch, a fence on said bolt receivable in said gate notches when properly aligned, a fixed dial formed on the face of the lock housing and provided with a plurality of equally spaced characters thereon, and a rotating dial concentrically mounted on said fixed dial and provided with a plurality of equally spaced characters thereon, the quantity of characters being even in number on one dial and odd on the other dial, said fixed and rotating dials forming a Vernier-type scale for the combination settings of the lock, said rotating dial having a plurality of equallyspaced windows at the periphery thereof and radially aligned with the characters thereon, said windows revealing the characters on the fixed dial therebelow.

6. A combination padlock assembly as set forth in claim 5, in which said disks include a top disk, a middle disk, and a bottom disk, and said rotating dial is connected to said top disk by a serrated connection to allow for positioning the rotating dial relative to said top disk to suit a desired dial requirement and fix it as positioned.

7. A combination padlock assembly as set forth in claim 5, in which at least one of said combination disks has a plurality of equally spaced shallow notches formed in the periphery of the disk and of a width equal to the width of its gate notch.

8. A combination padlock assembly as set forth in claim 5, in which said lock bolt is a unitar membe. pivoted intermediate its ends, and' said shackle when released pivots said lock bolt so that the end of the long leg of the shackle engages said wedge portion of the pivoted lock bolt to maintain the lock bolt in unlocked position and against accidental as well as intentional lockout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,133,528 10/1938 Bell 25 2,441,895 5/ 1948 Miller 70-25 X 3,413,828 12/1968 Harrell 70--3 14 X 843,365 2/1907 Raymond 70--330 1,369,850 3/1921 Steen 70-25 1,500,491 7/ 1924 Cronell 70--25 2,085,917 7/1937 Mathes 70-25 2,113,864 4/1938 Soret 70-314 X 3,349,584 10/1967 Russell 7021 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner -E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 70-314, 332

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