US3572069A

US3572069A - Key or permutation operated lock

Info

Publication number: US3572069A
Authority: US
Inventors: George P Junkunc
Original assignee: JUNKUNC BROS AMERICAN LOCK Co
Current assignee: JUNKUNC BROS AMERICAN LOCK Co
Priority date: 1969-09-18
Filing date: 1969-09-18
Publication date: 1971-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-23

Abstract

Combined key or permutation operated lock for locker doors and the like wherein a set of tumblers is mounted on a fixed center post for axial movement therealong between a normal position wherein a fence on a pivoted latch bolt confronts peripheral edges of the tumblers and noninterfering position wherein the set of tumblers is clear of the fence to permit release of the latch bolt. Cam means operated by a key cylinder engage the set of tumblers and selectively move the same to the noninterfering position upon rotating of the key cylinder in a release direction by a key.

Description

United States Patent [72] lnventor George P. Junkunc Palos Heights, Ill. [21 Appl. No. 859,072 22 Filed Sept. 18, 1969 p [45] Patented Mar. 23, 1971 [73] Assignee Junkunc Bros. American Lock Company Crete, Ill.

[54] 7 KEY OR PERMUTATION OPERATED LOCK 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs. [52] US. CL... 70/285, 1 70/314, 70/332 [51] Int. Cl. E05!) 37/08, EOSb 65/02 [50] Field of Search 70/285', 21, 156 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 590,131 9/1897 Chipman 70/285 Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant ExaminerAlb ert G, Craig, Jr. Attorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross and Simpson ABSTRACT: Combined key or permutation operated lock for locker doors and the like wherein a set of tumblers is mounted on a fixed center post for axial movement therealong between a, normal position wherein a fence on a pivoted latch bolt ca fronts peripheral edges of the tumblers and noninterfering position wherein'the set of tumblers is clear of the fence to permit release of the latch bolt, Cam means operated by a lceiy cylinder engage the set of tumblers and selectively move tge same to the noninterfering position upon rotating of the k y cylinder in a release direction by a key.

Pmimanmzsmn 3,572,069

sum 1 "OF 3 INVENTOR.

feozgePJm/Zzazza By W 2, g i ATTORNEYS 1 KEY OR PERMUTATION OPERATED LOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inlocks for lockers,- and particularly lockers for school gymnasium locker rooms and industrial plants, it is desirable that an individual user operate the lock by dialing a combination, but that authorized persons be able to, unlock the locker by a master key. l-Ieretofore, most combined key or permutation .operated locks incorporated a complex latch dog mechanism selectively movable from a dogging position by either aligning slots in the tumblers or operating a key mechanism. Such latch dog mechanisms oftentimes have been extremely complex requiring numerous individual parts. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a combined key or permutation operated lock for locker doors or the like comprises a pivotally mounted latch bolt having an integrally formed fence thereon, a set of tumblers mounted on a fixed tumbler post for axial movement therealong, biasing means urging the tumblers toward a normal position wherein the latch bolt fence engages peripheral edges of the tumblers or moves into radial slots in the tumblers, when aligned, and key operated cam means for moving the tumblers axially along the post to a noninterfering position wherein the fence may freely move into a space vacated by the tumblers for permitting pivotal movement of the-latch bolt to an unlocked position. I

A pivotally mounted, spring biased upsetter arm moves with the pivoted latch bolt and engages radially extending notches formed in the tumblers for upsetting the combination and moving the dial off the last number of the combination whenever the latch bolt is released to effect opening the locker door.

Another feature of the present invention .contemplates providing an arrow-shaped aperture in an escutcheon plate and forming an underlying dial plate with a brightly colored surface, thereby to form a reference marker for the dial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front end .view of a combined key or permutation operated lock constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lock taken substantially along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan ,view of the lock of the present invention with a cover plate therefor removed and showing the latch bolt in a latched position; i

FIG. 4 is a plan view similar-to FIG. 3 and showing the pivoted latch bolt in its unlatched position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view with certain parts shown in elevation forclarity and illustrating the tumblersin anoninterfering position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but rotated 90 therefrom and illustrating the tumblers in the noninterfering position;

FIG. ,7 isan end view of a pivoted latch bolt for the lock of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 .is a fragmentary, enlarged end view of a dial and escutcheon plate of the lock of the present invention.

DETAILEDrDESCRIPT ION OF A PREFERRED :EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a combined key or pennutation operated lock, constructed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention, is generally shown at 10 and has a casing 11 mounted on an inside surface of a locker door panel 12 or the likeand a cover plate 13 abutting the outside of the door panel and secured to the casing by fastening means such as nut and bolt assemblies 14 passing through aligned apertures as at 16, 17 and 18 respectively formed in the cover, the door panel and the casing, thereby to securely mount the lock 10 in assembled relationship with the door panel.

' The casing 11 is a generally cup-shaped member having a bottom wall 21, sidewalls as at 22 and a lid portion 23 abutting the inside surface of the door panel 12 and having the attachment apertures 18 formed therethrough.

' A tumbler post 24, centrally disposed within the casing 11, has a reduced end portion 26 received within an aperture 27 formed in the casing bottom wall 21. An outermost end portion as at 28 of the post 24 is swaged over peripheral edges of the aperture 27, thereby to securely afiix the tumbler post at right angles to the bottom wall 21L The tumbler post 24 forms a pivotal mounting for a set of spaced

tumblers

29, 30 and 31, spaced apart by washers as at 32 and biased outwardly along the post by a biasing spring 33, encircling the post and having opposite ends respectively seated on an inside surface 34 of the bottom wall 21 and a washer 36 abutting the bottom tumbler 31.

Means forming a pivoted latch bolt which may extend into an opening formed in a manually actuated slide bar or similar device of a locker door, comprise a C-shaped body portion 37 characterized by an offset bolt portion 38 extending therefrom and passing through an aperture 39 in the casing sidewall 22. The C.-shaped latch bolt 37 partially encircles the tumblers 29,- 30 and 31 and is characterized by a first arm portion 41 having an aperture 42 formed therethrough and receiving a pivot pin 42, affixed to the casing bottom wall 21 and extending along a portion of the sidewall 22 parallel to the tumbler post 24.

A torsion spring 43 encircles the pivot pin 42 and has one arm portion as at 44 engaging the inside of the casing sidewall 22 and an opposite a'rm 46 engaging a notch 47 in the latch bolt arm 41, thereby to bias the pivoted latch bolt into a latching position wherein the bolt 38 lockingly retains the slide bar in locked position.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the latch bolt 37 has an integrally formed fence 48 extending from the body portion inwardly toward the tumbler post 24 and characterized by parallel sidewall surfaces 49 and 51 and an innermost end edge 52. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, the fence 48 has end edge portions 53 and 54 spaced apart a distance slightly exceeding the total width of the set of

tumblers

29, 30 and 31. When the latch bolt 37 is in a locking,

position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the innermost end edge 52 of the fence 48 closely confronts outer peripheral edges as at 57 of the

tumblers

29, 30 and 31, thereby to prevent inwardly directed, pivotal movement of the latch bolt 37 toward an unlocked position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, unless radially inwardly extending slots as at 58 formed in each of the tumblers are properly aligned.

A knob, generally indicated at 61, has a dial plate 62 pivotally mounted within an aperture 63 formed in the cover 13 and a sleeve portion 66 keyed within a throughbore 64 formed in the dial plate. An axially extending recess 67, formed in the sleeve portion 66 at an innermost end thereof, receives a pin 68 fixedly attached to the top tumbler 29, thereby to form a driving connection between the top tumbler and the knob 61. Selectively interengaging transfer pins as at 69, 70 and 71 formed respectively on the top tumbler 29, the intermediate tumbler 30 and the bottom tumbler 31 enable positioning of the radially extending slots 58 by rotating the knob 61 in required directions to register certain numbers of the combination marked on the dial plate 64 with a reference marker.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, and as best seen in FIG. 7, the reference marker comprises an arrow-shaped aperture 74 formed in an escutcheon plate 75 fitted over the cover plate 13 and having an opening 750 sized to closely fit a tapered portion of the dial plate 62. An outwardly projecting peripheral edge portion as at 620 of the dial plate 62 is visible through the arrow-shaped aperture 74 and may be brightly colored, thereby to provide a readily visible indicia or reference marker to facilitate dialing the combinaformed fence 48 on the latch bolt 37, thereby to enable pivotal movement of the latch bolt toward the unlocked position. Thus, the lock of the present invention includes means forming a permutation operated release mechanism incorporating a plurality of rotatably mounted, slotted tumblers and a dial for selectively rotating the tumblers. Further, the permutation operated mechanism of the present invention includes a fence formed integrally with a pivoted latch bolt, thereby not requiring a separate, complex latch dog mechanism.

It is also contemplated by the present invention to provide an upsetter mechanism for upsetting more than one of the combination tumblers whenever the lock is released by pivoting the latch bolt, thereby to provide a safeguard against picking the lock or solving the combination. The upsetter mechanism includes a substantially C-shaped upsetter arm 76 wrapped around the tumbler post 24 on a side thereof opposite the pivoted latch bolt 37 and having an outstanding flange 77 mounting an offset attachment arm 78 at an outer end thereof. An aperture 79 formed through the attachment arm 78 receives the pivot pin 42, thereby to pivotally mount the upsetter arm 76 within the casing 21.

An end of the C-shaped upsetter arm 76 opposite the attachment arm portion 78 has a flange or upsetter pawl 81 extending therefrom at right angles thereto and having an edge portion as at 82 radially outwardly overlying the peripheral edges 57 of the

tumblers

29, 30 and 31. The latch bolt 37 has an end 83, opposite of the pivotally mounted end portion 41, operatively engaging a face surface 84 of the flange or upsetter pawl 81, thereby forming a driving connection between the latch bolt 37 and the upsetter arm 76 for pivotally moving the upsetter arm with the latch bolt as the latter pivotally moves from the locked position to the unlocked position. In that manner, the innermost end edge 82 of the upsetter pawl 81 pivots into engagement with notches as at 86 formed on the periphery of two or more of the

tumblers

29,30 and 31. A tension-type biasing spring 87, having one end portion hooked into an aperture 88 in the upsetter pawl 81 and an opposite end portion secured to a tab 89 which in turn is affixed to the casing sidewall 22, urges the upsetter arm 76 toward the pivoted latch bolt 37 for pivotally moving the upsetter arm in a counterclockwise direction whenever the latch bolt returns to the locked position, thereby to rotate the tumblers in a counterclockwise direction until the upsetter pawl 81 is withdrawn from the notches 86, and thus rotate the knob 61 off a last number of the combination subsequent to completing the combination and withdrawing the fence 48 from the aligned slots 58.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, key operated cam means are provided for selectively shifting the set of

tumblers

29, 30 and 31 axially along the tumbler post 24 and against the bias of the spring 33 to a noninterfering position wherein the fence 48 formed on the pivoted latch bolt 37 may freely move into a space vacated by the shifted tumblers, thereby to enable release of the lock alternatively by operating the permutation tumblers or by actuating the key operated cam mechanism.

The key operated cam means generally comprise a cylindrical cam 92 received within an axially extending, central throughbore 93 formed in the sleeve portion 66 of the knob 61 for axial sliding movement therewithin and a cam follower pin 94 operatively attached to a key plug 96 for rotational movement therewith whenever an appropriately configured key as at 97 operates the key plug. The cylindrical cam 92 has an axially elongated slot 98 cut into a sidewall thereof and receiving an innermost end of a set screw (not shown) passing through the sleeve 66, thereby to restrain rotational movement of the cylindrical cam 92 within the throughbore 93 and only permit axially directed sliding movement of the cam within the throughbore. An end wall 99 of the axially extending slot 98 forms a stop surface engageable with the set screw for limiting axial extension of the cam 92 outwardly of the throughbore 93. An innermost end as at 101 of the cylindrical cam 92 is squared off and abuts an outermost face surface 102 of the top tumbler 29, while an opposite end of the cylindrical cam has a cam surface 103 formed thereon for engagement with the cam follower pin 94.

The cam follower pin 94 is welded or otherwise secured diametrically across an end portion of a post 104 having an end opposite of the pinaffixed, as by welding, to the key plug 96 for rotation by the key 97. The post 104 is loosely received within a throughbore 106 of the cylindrical cam 92 for enabling relative sliding and rotating movement therebetween. Opposite end portions as at 107 of the cam follower pin 94 engage the cam surface 103.

In order to translate rotational movement of the cam follower pin 94 into axially directed movement of the cylindrical cam 92, and thus shift the

tumblers

29, 30 and 31, the cam surface 103 has a pair of camming surfaces 109 extending cireumferentially and axially of the cylindrical cam 92 and each encompassing an angle of approximately The

camming surfaces

109, 109 extend from a pair of diametrically opposed flats as at 108 to another pair of diametrically opposed flats as at 110, axially spaced from the first pair of flats a distance equal to the distance A, as illustrated in FIG. 6, which is the required distance for moving the outer face surface 102 of the top tumbler 29 from the forwardmost position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to a position inwardly of the end edge 54 of the latch bolt fence 48, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, as the pin 94 is rotated via the key plug 96 by the key 97 through an angle of 90, the cylindrical cam 97 axially extends from the sleeve counterbore 93, thereby to axially shift the set of

tumblers

29, 30 and 31 against the bias of the spring 33 to the noninterfering position for allowing the latch bolt fence 48 to move into the space vacated by the tumblers, thereby to enable pivotal movement of the latch bolt toward the unlocked position.

From the foregoing, it should be noted that the lock of the present invention may alternatively be released by properly dialing a combination to align tumbler slots for permitting a fence integrally formed with a pivoted latch bolt to enter the aligned slots or by operating a key plug with an appropriately configured key to actuate cam means for axially shifting the tumblers to a noninterfering position, wherein the latch bolt fence may enter the space vacated by the tumblers and thereby permit release of the latch bolt.

Although those versed in the art may suggest various minor modifications, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim:

1. A lock comprising:

means forming a casing;

a tumbler post mounted within said casing;

a plurality of tumblers mounted on said tumbler post for rotational movement relative thereto and axial movement therealong and including at least an upper tumbler and a lower tumbler;

means forming a latch bolt mounted on said casing for movement selectively between a locked position and an unlocked position;

restraining means normally preventing movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position and including a fence confronting peripheral edge portions of said tumblers and mounted for movement into radially extending slots formed in each of said tumblers whenever said slots are aligned to permit selective movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position; and

key operated cam means engaging one of said top and said bottom tumblers and axially shifting said plurality of tumblers along said tumbler post to a position clear of said fence for enabling said fence to enter a space vacated by said tumblers to pennit selective movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position.

2. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by:

biasing means engaging one of said tumblers and urging said plurality of tumblers toward said cam means and into an inter- 101033 osrq fering position wherein saidfence closely confronts peripheral edges of the tumblers and is restrained against movement unless said radially extending slots in said tumblers are aligned.

' unlocked position.

5. A lock as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by: said upsetter means comprising: I

an upsetter member mounted on said casing for pivotal movement; and J a portion of said upsetter member engaged by said latch bolt for pivotally moving said member in response to selective movement of said latch bolt toward the unlocked position; biasing means urging saidpivoted upsetter member into engagement with said latch bolt; 7 means forming notches along peripheral edge portions of said tumblers; and means forming a pawl on said upsetter member disposed and configured to move into engagement with said tumbler notches whenever said upsetter member pivotally moves-in response to movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position, whereby pivotal movement of said upsetter member under the influence of said biasing means rotationally moves said tumblers about said tumbler post to misalign said tumbler slots with said fence.

6. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: a knob rotatably mounted on said casing coaxially of said tumbler post; b means forming a driving connection between said knob and the top one 'of said plurality of tumblers; and means forming interengaging transfer pins carried on said tumblers, whereby rotation of said knob rotates the top one of said tumblers into certain positions and in certain directions for aligning said tumbler-slots to enable movement of said fence into said aligned slots for permitting selective movement of said latch bolt into the unlocked position. v 7. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: said cam means comprising:

a cylindrical cam member mounted coaxially of said tumbler post and having a circumferentially and axially extending camming surface formed thereon;

a cam follower engaging said camming surface;

one of said cam member and said cam follower restrained against rotational movement and mounted for movement axially of said tumbler post, and the other of said cam member and said cam follower restrained against movement axially of. said tumbler post and mounted for rotational movement about a longitudinal axis of said tumbler post; said axially mounted member operatively engaging the top one of said tumblers; and key operated means for rotating said rotationally mounted one of said cam member ands id cam followerv 8. A lock as define in claim 1 and further characterized by:

a knob mounted on said casing for rotational movement coaxially of said tumbler posts and having a throughbore fonned therein end extending coaxially of said tumbler post; e

means forming a driving connection between said knoband the top one of sai i plurality of tumblers;

a key plug mounted in said throughbore coaxially of said tumbler post and having aportion tumable relative to said knobby a key;

a cylindrical ca'm member disposed within said throughbore, restrained against rotational movement relat ve thereto and mounted :therewithin for sliding movement axially of said tumbler post, one end portion of said cylindrical ember abutting said top tumbler; and the other end portion of said cylindrical member having a circumferentiallyand axially extending camming surface formed thereon; and

means forming a cam follower engaging said camming surface and operativelyattached to said key plug tumable portion for angular movement therewith, whereby turning movement of said key plug tumable portion by a key axially moves said cylindrical member outwardly of said knob for shifting said plurality'of tumblers axially along said tumbler post to the noninterfering position wherein said fence may move into a space vacated by said tumblers.

9. A lock as defined in claim 6 and further characterized by:

said knob having a dial plate attached thereto for corotation therewith;

an escutcheon plate surrounding said dial plate and overlapping peripheral edge portions thereof; and

means forming an arrow-shaped aperture through said escutcheon plate disposed to render colored portions of said overlapped peripheral edge of said dial plate visible through said aperture, thereby forming a reference marker for indicia carried on said dial plate.

10. In a permutation operated lock having a plurality of rotatably mounted tumblers, the improvement comprising:

means mounting the combination tumblers for axial move' ment selectively between an interfering position wherein a latch bolt restraining fence closely confronts peripheral edges of the tumblers and a noninterfering position wherein the tumblers are clear of the fence; and

key operated cam means engaging the plurality of combina tion tumblers and axially moving the same to a noninter, fer-ing position in response to actuation thereof by a key.

Claims

1. A lock comprising: means forming a casing; a tumbler post mounted within said casing; a plurality of tumblers mounted on said tumbler post for rotational movement relative thereto and axial movement therealong and including at least an upper tumbler and a lower tumbler; means forming a latch bolt mounted on said casing for movement selectively between a locked position and an unlocked position; restraining means normally preventing movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position and including a fence confronting peripheral edge portions of said tumblers and mounted for movement into radially extending slots formed in each of said tumblers whenever said slots are aligned to permit selective movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position; and key operated cam means engaging one of said top and said bottom tumblers and axially shifting said plurality of tumblers along said tumbler post to a position clear of said fence for enabling said fence to enter a space vacated by said tumblers to permit selective movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position.

2. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: biasing means engaging one of said tumblers and urging said plurality of tumblers toward said cam means and into an interfering position wherein said fence closely confronts peripheral edges of the tumblers and is restrained against movement unless said radially extending slots in said tumblers are aligned.

3. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: said latch bolt being mounted for pivotal movement selectively between the locked and unlocked positions; and said fence being integrally formed with said latch bolt and extending therefrom toward said tumbler post.

4. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: upsetter means operating on said tumblers for rotationally moving the same subsequent to said latch bolt pivoting to the unlocked position.

5. A lock as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by: said upsetter means comprising: an upsetter member mounted on said casing for pivotal movement; and a portion of said upsetter member engaged by said latch bolt for pivotally moving said member in response to selective movement of said latch bolt toward the unlocked position; biasing means urging said pivoted upsetter member into engagement with said latch bolt; means forming notches along peripheral edge portions of said tumblers; and means forming a pawl on said upsetter member disposed and configured to move into engagement with said tumbler notches whenever said upsetter member pivotally moves in response to movement of said latch bolt to the unlocked position, whereby pivotal movement of said upsetter member under the influence of said biasing means rotationally moves said tumblers about said tumbler post to misalign said tumbler slots with said fence.

6. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: a knob rotatably mounted on said casing coaxially of said tumbler post; means forming a driving connection between said knob and the top one of said plurality of tumblers; and means forming interengaging transfer pins carried on said tumblers, whereby rotation of said knob rotates the top one of said tumblers into certain positions and in certain directions for aligning said tumbler slots to enable movement of said fence into said aligned slots for permitting selective movement of said latch bolt into the unlocked position.

7. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: said cam means comprising: a cylindrical cam member mounted coaxially of said tumbler post and having a circumferentially and axially extending camming surface formed thereon; a cam follower engaging said camming surface; one of said cam member and said cam follower Restrained against rotational movement and mounted for movement axially of said tumbler post, and the other of said cam member and said cam follower restrained against movement axially of said tumbler post and mounted for rotational movement about a longitudinal axis of said tumbler post; said axially mounted member operatively engaging the top one of said tumblers; and key operated means for rotating said rotationally mounted one of said cam member and said cam follower.

8. A lock as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: a knob mounted on said casing for rotational movement coaxially of said tumbler posts and having a throughbore formed therein and extending coaxially of said tumbler post; means forming a driving connection between said knob and the top one of said plurality of tumblers; a key plug mounted in said throughbore coaxially of said tumbler post and having a portion turnable relative to said knob by a key; a cylindrical cam member disposed within said throughbore, restrained against rotational movement relative thereto and mounted therewithin for sliding movement axially of said tumbler post, one end portion of said cylindrical member abutting said top tumbler, and the other end portion of said cylindrical member having a circumferentially and axially extending camming surface formed thereon; and means forming a cam follower engaging said camming surface and operatively attached to said key plug turnable portion for angular movement therewith, whereby turning movement of said key plug turnable portion by a key axially moves said cylindrical member outwardly of said knob for shifting said plurality of tumblers axially along said tumbler post to the noninterfering position wherein said fence may move into a space vacated by said tumblers.

9. A lock as defined in claim 6 and further characterized by: said knob having a dial plate attached thereto for corotation therewith; an escutcheon plate surrounding said dial plate and overlapping peripheral edge portions thereof; and means forming an arrow-shaped aperture through said escutcheon plate disposed to render colored portions of said overlapped peripheral edge of said dial plate visible through said aperture, thereby forming a reference marker for indicia carried on said dial plate.

10. In a permutation operated lock having a plurality of rotatably mounted tumblers, the improvement comprising: means mounting the combination tumblers for axial movement selectively between an interfering position wherein a latch bolt restraining fence closely confronts peripheral edges of the tumblers and a noninterfering position wherein the tumblers are clear of the fence; and key operated cam means engaging the plurality of combination tumblers and axially moving the same to a noninterfering position in response to actuation thereof by a key.