US3585826A - Pivoted tumbler lock construction - Google Patents

Abstract

A pivoted tumbler-type lock construction in which the tumblers are mounted upon the rotating cylinder for movement about a very small arc about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. The tumblers are pivoted upon one of three pintles, each angularly spaced 120* apart from the remaining two, and are actuated by one blade of a three-bladed key, the blades of which are also angularly spaced 120* apart and positioned medially of a pair of said pintles when inserted into the cylinder. Each of the tumblers includes two ends disposed on either side of the mounting pintle, which are alternately engageable within locking recesses in a relatively fixed housing, insertion of the key serving to contact one of the ends to move the tumbler within the cylinder, the other of the blades serving to accurately fix this position. The tumblers are mounted on individual plates comprising the cylinder, and are spaced 120* apart from each other, so that each tumbler is actuated by a pair of adjacent blades on the key.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Leonard Mercurio 34 Beaumont Drive; Anthony R. Morello, 26 Kaldn Lane, both of Plalnvlew, N.Y. 11803 [21] Appl. No. 1,606 [22] Filed Jan. 9, 1970 Patented June 22, 1971 [54] PIVOTED TUMBLER LOCK CONSTRUCTION 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[ us. (I 10/366. 70/377, 70/401 [51] Int. Cl. E05b 29/02 Field otSearch 70/366, 365, 377, 401, 355, 354, 353

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,729,092 1/ 1956 Taylor 70/364 3,479,849 1 H1969 Check 70/364 FOREIGN PATENTS 680,416 8/1939 Germany... 70/401 911,220 5/1954 Germany ABSTRACT: A pivoted tumbler-type lock construction in which the tumblers are mounted upon the rotating cylinder for movement about a very small are about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. The tumblers are pivoted upon one of three pintles, each angularly spaced apart from the remaining two, and are actuated by one blade of a threebladed key, the blades of which are also angularly spaced 120 apart and positioned medially of a pair of said pintles when inserted into the cylinder. Each of the tumblers includes two ends disposed on either side of the mounting pintle, which are alternately engageable within locking recesses in a relatively fixed housing, insertion of the key serving to contact one of the ends to move the tumbler within the cylinder, the other of the blades serving to accurately fix this position. The tumblers are mounted on individual plates comprising the cylinder, and are spaced 120 apart from each other, so that each tumbler is actuated by a pair of adjacent blades on the key.

PIVOTED TUMBLER LOCK CONSTRUCTION This invention relates generally to the field of pivoted tumbler-type locks, and more particularly to an improved type suitable for use in locking the coin vaults of coin operated devices, and other applications where a large number of locks in differing locations are to be operated by a standard key.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved lock construction in which the key may be readily inserted with unusual facility, owing to the possibility of very short tumbler movement between engaged and disengaged positions.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved pivotal tumbler-type lock which may be substantially pickproof by virtue of the presence of locking engagement between the tumblers and a fixed housing in three separate planes.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved lock construction of the class described in which substantial torque may be exerted through the key without damage to either key or cylinder.

A feature of the disclosed embodiment lies in the relatively few numbers of standardized parts comprising the same.

These objects and feature, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a front end elevational view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a rear end elevational view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof as seen from the plane 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front end elevational view of a cylinder element which comprises a part of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the individual tumblercarrying plates comprising a part of the cylinder element.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view as seen from the right-hand portion of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view in elevation corresponding to that seen in FIG. 6, but showing the actuation of a pivoted tumbler by insertion of a key element.

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of a key element.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: A lock housing element 11, a cylinder element 12, and a key element 13.

The lock housing element 11 may be formed as a machined casting, and is bounded by a forward end surface 17, a first cylindrical surface 18, a planar surface 19 defining an abutment, a second cylindrical surface 20, a portion 21 of which is threaded, and a rear end surface 21a. The centrally disposed main bore 22 communicates with a counterbore 23 to provide a recess for a cylinder element 12. A threaded radially disposed bore 24 is engaged by a setscrew 25 which bears against a cylinder element retaining plate 26, the plate 26 having a centrally disposed bore 27 to accommodate a motion output shaft 28 forming a part of the cylinder element 12.

The cylinder element 12 includes a front plate 30, a plurality of tumbler-carrying plates 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, a medial support plate 36 and a rear plate 37.

A front plate communicates with the counterbore 23, and is bounded by a forward surface 38 and a cylindrical surface 39. A central opening 40 permits clearance for the key element 13, and a plurality of peripherally disposed bores 41 each support axially parallel pintles 42 which extend through corresponding bores in the members 30-37 inclusive. The medial plate 36 is of generally similar figuration, and is bounded by a cylindrical surface 43. The rear plate 37 is bounded by a cylindrical surface 44 and a planar surface 45 which contacts the retaining plate 26.

The tumblercarrying plates 30-35, inclusive, are generally similar, and, accordingly, a detailed description of one of said plates will serve to describe all. Each plate is bounded by first and second parallel planar surfaces 48 and 49, respectively (see FIGS. 6 to 8, inclusive) as well as a cylindrical surface 50. A Y-shaped through opening 51 extends between the surfaces 49-50 as do bores 52 accommodating the pintles 42. As best seen in FIG. 7, a recessed surface 53 provides space for a tumbler 54 capable of limited pivotal movement. Each tumbler includes a central portion 55 having a bore 56, first and second inner arms 57, 58, respectively, and first and second outer arms 59, 60, respectively. Each of the outer arms 59-60 terrninates in an end projection at 61-62. A coil spring 63 disposed within a recess 63a contacts a point 64 to urge the arm in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 6. A point 65 on the arm 60 contacts a radial surface 66 to limit counterclockwise movement to that shown in the same figure.

In the absence of the key element 13, the end projection 61 will extend outwardly of the cylindrical surface 50 and engage one of the locking grooves 61a in the housing element (see FIG. 4), thus preventing rotation of the cylinder element within the housing element.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the key element 13 includes a manually engageable member 70, a main shaft 71, and a tumbler actuating member 72 including tumbler actuating blades 73, which are of planar configuration and mutually spaced at a angle to correspond to the opening 51 in each of the plates 31-37, inclusive. As seen in FIG. 8, upon insertion of the key element an edge surface 74 of each of the blades contacts an inwardly disposed curved surface 75 of the tumblers to cam the tumblers into an inoperative position, wherein the projection 61 lies within the surface 50. As seen in FIG. 4, the tumblers are each mounted on one of the three pintles 42, so that each pintle will be operated two of the three blades 73 on the key element.

It is contemplated that the construction is manufactured to close tolerances, consistent with relatively limited tumbler movement. Thus, to obtain a locking action, the projection 61 need extend outwardly of the surface 50 approximately 0.030 inch, mechanical strength being obtained by the presence of a relatively large number of such projections, one for each of the tumblers. The insertion of a key in which the actuating blade is excessively high will pivot the tumbler to a point where the end projection 62 will engage another of the grooves 67 in the housing element, a feature common to pivotally mounted tumblers known in the art. By employing a multibladed key in which the blades are mutually spaced an angular distance of less than it is possible to have each of two blades simultaneously contacting the tumbler to accurately fix the tumbler in inactive position. The coil spring 63, serves the single function of returning the tumbler to the active position shown in FIG. 6, and the problem of inaccurate positioning of the tumbler owing to the presence of dirt within the cylinder is thereby eliminated. This feature also permits the elimination of a spring biased cover normally required in cylinder locks in outdoor use.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention per tains.

We claim:

1. Lock construction comprising: A housing element, a cylinder element rotatably mounted in said housing element, and a key element; said housing element having a cylindrical surface defining a bore therein and a plurality of tumbler engaging slots extending radially of said surface; said cylinder element including a plurality of generally circular tumblercarrying plates, and means interconnecting said plates for axially aligned rotation, said plates having a tumbler thereon mounted medially for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said cylinder element, said tumblers having first and second arms, said arms having first and second end projections on first and second sides of said last mentioned axis and alternately projectable outwardly of the periphery of the respective plate upon which it is mounted to engage one of said tumbler engaging slots, resilient means urging each of said tumblers to one limit of a respective path of travel to project one of said ends to engage a slot; said key element having a plurality of blades each having a mutually parallel principal axis and having a plane spaced at a mutual angle less than 180 each blade having a tumbler contacting surface adapted to simultaneously contact one of said first and second arms, one of which cams said tumbler to a position wherein both said first and second ends lie substantially within the periphery of the respective plate to pennit said cylinder element to be turned within said housing element, and the other of which positively fixes said last-mentioned position.

2. Structure in accordance with claim ll, said key element including three blades, each spaced with respect to the others.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2, said tumblers being mounted for pivotal movement about one of three parallel axes passing through each of said plates.

Claims (3)

1. Lock construction comprising: A housing element, a cylinder element rotatably mounted in said housing element, and a key element; said housing element having a cylindrical surface defining a bore therein and a plurality of tumbler engaging slots extending radially of said surface; said cylinder element including a plurality of generally circular tumbler-carrying plates, and means interconnecting said plates for axially aligned rotation, said plates having a tumbler thereon mounted medially for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said cylinder element, said tumblers having first and second arms, said arms having first and second end projections on first and second sides of said last mentioned axis and alternately projectable outwardly of the periphery of the respective plate upon which it is mounted to engage one of said tumbler engaging slots, resilient means urging each of said tumblers to one limit of a respective path of travel to project one of said ends to engage a slot; said key element having a plurality of blades each having a mutually parallel principal axis and having a plane spaced at a mutual angle less than 180* , each blade having a tumbler contacting surface adapted to simultaneously contact one of said first and second arms, one of which cams said tumbler to a position wherein both said first and second ends lie substantially within the periphery of the respective plate to permit said cylinder element to be turned within said housing element, and the other of which positively fixes said last-mentioned position.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, said key element including three blades, each spaced 120* with respect to the others.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2, said tumblers being mounted for pivotal movement about one of three parallel axes passing through each of said plates.

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