CA2119985A1 - Manipulation proof combination lock - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The combination lock includes a housing with a lock dial shaft rotatably mounted thereto, a lock bolt slidably mounted to the housing, a fence lever pivotally coupled to the lock bolt, a tension spring constantly urging the fence lever into an operative, lock bolt displacing position thereof, an assembly of gated tumbler wheels rotatable by the lock dial shaft and a slotted disc mounted on the tumbler wheels assembly. The fence lever is adapted to close against the gated tumbler wheels when in alignment therewith and thereby unable the displacement of the lock bolt by the fence lever. A
displaceable spring cam plate is coupled to a cam disc associated with the slotted disc so that on every revolution of the cam disc the plate becomes displaced a short distance. A second spring is coupled between the fence lever and the cam plate, effective, in the non-displaced position of the plate, to restrain the pivoted movement of the fence lever under the tension of its spring, and in the displaced position of the plate, to allow the pivoted movement of the fence lever into operative position thereof.

Description

211~!~Rr) ~ ¦

MANIPUL~TION PRC)OF (~ ABlt`lP~TlON L~C:K

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Acl;GRnl~ND 0~ 'rHE INVENTTnN
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.~.,. ,.,, The pre6ent inv~ relates to tumbler 3~r~mblLng n~anlpulation enmh;nntion lock~.

lt h~s b~en r~cogniz~ long ~go thMt combl~nti~n lock~, ~asod on tll~ raLion of ~n ~ti~ul~ted, ~pring bia~s~d ~ence lever, are lia~tle LO b~ t~mp~r~d with by ~killed manipulators - cf. ~u~tL~Alian P~tent No. lS~,~4~, ~nd ~.S. Pa-tent Nos. 3,g91,5~G, t1,122,2~7, ~,756,11G, t~nd otl1ers.

The concepLually ~ unon 301ution proyo~ed fo~
rend~ring the locks ~manipula~ion proo-~ w~ ba3~d 011 t}l~
ide~ of avoiding the ~equ~llLial c~nt~ct of the fenc~ !
lever with t}1~ rotatabl~ ~un~ler ~he~ls, ~e at a time during dialing, which w~s thus indlcativ~ of th~ ~o~r~ct combination, namely allowing the snapping o~ t~e le~er into en~agement with all of the tumbler wheels u~on completion of the combinaLion~

Various arrangements and mechanisms have thus bee~
propo~ed, however o~ r~her compIicated deffign.

It is thus the ob ject of the inverltion to provide , ~ mor~ simple ~nd straightforward ~ol~ion to ~he abov~
¦ described problem.

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It i~ ~ ~1rther ob~ect o~ the invellt.Loll to pro-vldc-means ~dapted to be ~a.sily in~t~lled in mo~t types of coinmerci~lly ~v~ ble ordin~ry combiila~i~n lock~ tll~r~by ¦ !
rendering ~m~3 m~nipul~tl,c3n protected.

SUMMARY OF THE INV~NTION

~ ca~rdi~g t.o the invention th~3~e i,F3 th~l~ p~;,dt~,d a t~ombin~tion l~k including a hou~iny wlth ~ lock dL~1 ft rotrltrlbly mounted thereto~ ~ lock bolt ~lidrlbly mounted tt~ tllt~3 ..~it~ hous.in~ ~ ft-,3not3 ~.t~3vt3~ p,l.~otr~lly ~oupled to ~h~ 3~Ai~ lock bo1t~ ~ tentJlon 3p~ing const~ntly ul~g.Lng the fent~e leve~ into ~n oper~tive~ lock bolt di~3pl~cing po6ition thereof I ~n ~66embly of g~ted tumbler whee1~ rot~t~ble by the ~nid lock din1 ~hnft, ~lotted disc mounted on the ~eiid tumbler wh~el~ u~s~3m~1y, the saiti rence lever ,oeint3 ~t~apted to close again~t -the said t~ated tumbler wheels when in ali~nment therewl~h and thereby enable the displacement o~ the lock bolt by the ¦
fence lever, a displaceable spring cam plate coupled to a canl dl~c a~soclated wlth the ~1otted dl.sc .so that on every revolution of the cam disc the plat~ becomes 1 i displaced a ~hort distance, a second ~p~iny coupled between the tence lever and the cam plate, effective, in the non-di~placed position of the plate, to rest~ain ~he pivoted movemen~ Or ~he ~aid fence lever under the tension of its spring, and in the disp1aced position of the plate, to allow the sald plvoted movement of the ~ence lever into baid operative position thereof.
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BI~IEF ~ESCRIPTI~N OF Tll~ ~AWINGS I j The invention togeith~r w1tll f~rth~r ~bject~ and ntten~ t ~dvantages there~f~ may bei3t bc und~r~tood by referellce ~o the following ~efi~ripti~n taken in conjunction with the n~comp~nying d~wing~ ~nd in ~hi~h:

Fig. l i~ a pl~ne view of ~ conv~ntion~l, non-~nipul~tion proof coMbin~tion loc~ (with its cover removed); I ¦

~ ig. ~ 8howg a G~hem~t:i~, threei-dimens10n~
exploded ~iew ~f main componcnt~ of a lock provided ~ccording to ~ p~efe.l.L~ed embodim~nt o~ tlle invention; I j ri ~ . 3 i~ view ~f the lock il~ rp~r~till~ t}~e I i ~i~mpon~nti~ of ~ig. 2 in ~ non-operRti~e po~ n; ~nd .' ~ig. 4 show~ the lock of Fig. 3 in the oper~tive position thereof. ¦ .

DETAILED D~SCRIPTION OF TIIE FREFERR13D E;ME~ODIMISNT

~ e~errin~ to ~'ig. .I there i~ ~hown a cenventional ~om~lnatiotl lock mechanism ~enerally denoted lO diGpo~d within a housing 12. AS known, the mechAnism 10 compri~es a plurality of tumbler wheels, general1y denoted W (th~

upper~ exposed tumbler wheel is designatefl Wl), axlally mo~nted and coupl~d to lock ~haft 14. Every ~umbler wheiel ls provided with a rece~s or gate ~ ( for ex~mple the . 1~ ,, ,., tumbler whecl Wl ~ n~.~ri.~ ). Up~ olnpl~tlon th~ linc~ of Lhe pre-i~et COlnh.i n~ti~n by lock ~ha f t 14, ~he ~ates G of All wheels be~ome ~ligned, ~ that f~nce . .
~:. :1. arm feeler ~in lG (~hown o~ly from ~b~v~) c~n ente~ lnto the space of the gates G andl thereby~ n~e 16' of pivo~ed, spring ul-ged fen~e lever 16 enter~ c~m ~lot 18' of driver di~c lB. A ~prin~ 20 i~ ~uupl~d ~o a fence l.~v~x lG fol- nornlally u~ging the fence luv~ 16 into l~
~c:Llv~ L~ n~LLaLill~ po~iti.on. ~h~ driv~r ~l~C l~
keyed to the lock shaft 1~ by key 22. Turning the lock sha~L 14 rroll~ Lhe ouLside ~f the door by thc di~l knob l ! ¦
(not shown) cau~e~ the withdr~wal o~ lo~k ~olt 24 to o~
j the door. All th~se fe~ture~ of coni~truction ~n~
\ operation are well known and need no~ be further de~cribed in the present context.

~ urnlng now to Flg. 2, there is shown the plur~lity of tumbler wheels W, each provided wi~h it~ re~peCtive gates G. A driver disc 118 provided accordlng to the ~resent invention is of a little smaller diameter than the disc 18 of the conventional lock ~ech~nism of Fig.
Furthermore, the disc 11~ i~ formed with an upwards protruding, concentri.c cam disc 126 (whlch m~y conveniently be inte~rally ma~e with the driver di~c !-' I I
~ llU). The cam disc 126 is clrcular except ~or a segment '~ 126' which is removed or cut away as sho~. The ]ocation i of the ~egment 126' relative to the fence lever nose ~l en~agin~ recess llB' is preset according to a functlonal con~idera~.ion explained ~elvw.
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~, , The fe3nc~ lev~r llG h~vlncJ the conventLon~1 fenc~
~we3l~-3L ~31n ll6~ LurLher compri~es ~ tiny bore 12~ for ~
rpoGe to he de~c:rlhed fur~ller helow. ,, F~rLh~r provided is3 a cam ~p~ing plate gener~lly denot~3d 130. Th~-3 ~3-31n ~3yrill~ 3~1~te compxir.-3eF3 ~ genernlly V-~3~ytd yt-:3l~ 132, confLcJured ~ one GLde wi~ch r~ius 132' somewhat larg~3L- than th~t o~ the c~m di3c ' 126, and at it33 0~.}1WL ~3ide W1~1l a line~r ~urface l3~
'r3 ~ Jn ~r.Lliy ~l~Le 130 f~L~her ~mp~is~G nt it~ oth~r encl U-sllaped cut-t~ff 134 L~ ured to slidingly reaeLve betwt~3~r1 i.t3~ 3~s ll~ ~n~3 134b ~he he~d portion of the '',~.`,3, convcntLonal 3~ol'~ 136.
Al1 O~3~3l~ 3 138 Whi~]l iS prefel-ably ~ut not neces3sary e1.ongated, is provlded in 'che c~m sprln~ plate 1.?0 ~t a ~,~3 portion 139 thereof whic3~ eXtents in ~,he ~irectlon oI3 ~he 1, r~pe3ctive housin~ wall ( qee ~ . 4), and comprl6es a : .1.ir3ear sur~ce 139~. 1 i ..~
Finall~ there is provided according to the pL-e~ent 7 inv~n~ion a profiled wire spring 140 comprislng four portions l~Oa, l~Ob, 14~ and l40d which are bent-away rel~ive to each other as shown. In th~ a~sembled state, the portion l40~ is inserted from above lnto the opening l~8 of the ferlce lever 116, and the portion 140d, ln turn, is inserted -~rom below into tlle opening 138 of the cam spring plate 13~.

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The ope.~clt.i~l~ ef Lhe impr~ved lock 110 wiJ.l no~ b~
clescrlbed~ with reference to F1~3~. 3 ~nd 4.

In the ~ .L~3~ 8~at~ ~f tl-~ lo~k the t~uior of thc wir~ u~in~ 140 i8 ~uch that irl one position of the ~ t~ 13~ relaLiv~ t~ the f~n~e le~er 116 (~3 explained below), tll~ ~pri~l~ 140 overcome~ thr3 forr~ of ~he ~princJ 120, and in ~not.h~r po6itlon of th~ plat~ -the ~prin~ l2~ overcome~ the nttraction ~.~f thr3 ~prlng 140.

In the ~em~led ~t~te of t.he l~ck llO, t:h~ nn~
~pring ylnte 130 i8 s~ted over bc~th the drlv,~r disc 118 and th~ fenc~ leveL- 116. The c~m di3c 12G ~reely ~tL
into the oy~nin~ 132, and thc ~olt 136 .in~ ~he cu~ ouL
134. The spriny 140 i8 in~talled a~ de~crib~?,~ br.~ve ~0 thA~. .;.n th~ depi~ted, in~p~-ative po~ition of the lock, the lever 116 i8 con~tantly pu~hed away krom the ~umbler wheels engagln~ p~sltion, i.e. neutralizing the forc~ of ~he ~pring 120. Therefore, for a~ long a~ the plate 130 is stationary, no cont,~ct will ~e made ~e~ween Che lever 11~ and ~he driving disc ll~. ~uring roCatlon of t~e ~lrlver disc lla (and of the cam disc 126) by the ~ial sha~t 114 in the conventional manner, the cam plate 130 rem~ln$ ln fac~ ~taC~onary, ~xcept for when ~he cut away segmen~. 126~ become~ ope.rat.lve - ~ee Pig. 4 - namely ollce on every full rotation. At such point, the d18p1acement of the plate 13~ by ~ ~mall diatance (to -the right) will ~llow a momentary contact of the fence feeler pln 116~' . ' ' 11 ~
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~alrl~t l.he ~ n of l.ll~l t:~lm~).1.er. ~ -- or ~,~ t~lC! n~ ' into the ~ng.~5irlg Ieces~ l13)~, lf tl!r1 prs~per combi.rlati clialin~ has beon colnplete~

Now, a8 kno~n, the manipulatloll tilmper.ing ~o~ilod 1 b~sed on thaL the nosrd 16' of ~he ~enc~ lev~r 16 (Fig. 1) becom~ releas~d~ from th~ r~u~ conto~r of tho drivo~
dis~ 1~, t.o somewhat ent~r into and ~hen withdr~w from the ~lot 18', in A cy~ fa~hiorl, an~ that the ~ki.11~d manipul~t.nT~ i6 able to detect Lhe~e~ two o~our~on~e~

( " con1:~ct po i ntiD " ) .

It iE th~l~ olear that due to ~h8 operation of the spring cam plate 130 - such t~mp~rlnr~ m~thod 1 complet.~]y obviated.

~ nce th~ complet~ alignment c~ tho g~te~ G i5 achi~ved accor~in~ Lo th~d ll~r~l~l dialing pro~edur~ thr~
,f dial shaft must b~ rotated in a revorse dire~tion (fr~m i the "0" position). The nose portion 116' will becom~
i; ~ engaged ~y the cam slot 118' and the lock bolt 124 may 3 1 ~hus be displaced into its ~nlooked, withdrawn po~ition ~ Fig. 4 i.~: ;
rrhe application of the prei~ent inv~ntion 15 ~.~ extreme1y simple and ]ow-co6t. It i.nvolv~s the a~dition 'j of only two a~lditional components (cam spring plat~ 130 . and spring 140) an~ minor ~ltera~ion or the ~rlver dl8r 18 the general ~esign of che convention lock i~ no~

upset whal:soever, which renders the lncor~r~tion of the ~ 7 ' ~`' 2'11~g'~
~xt~a pal-t~ 1!1 n~os~ ~xl~tillg m~dels ~ non~ rli~ulatien- !
proof combl"~tioll locks f~i~ly convenler~

Tho~ie skilled ln the art will ~ dily uppreci~te : ,.. ..... . .
-tllat v~rious c~hallges antl In~dlLicati~ns m~y be ~pplied ~o ~he her~t.clrore dextrib~d embod;.n1~nt of the lnventi.~n withou~ departing f.rom its ~ye as def ined ln and by the appenr~ laims.

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Claims (4)

1. A combination lock including a housing with a lock dial shaft rotatably mounted thereto, a lock bolt slidably mounted to the said housing, a fence lever pivotally coupled to the said lock bolt, a tension spring constantly urging the fence lever into an operative, lock bolt displacing position thereof, an assembly of gated tumbler wheels rotatable by the said lock dial shaft, a slotted disc mounted on the said tumbler wheels assembly, the said fence lever being adapted to close against the said gated tumbler wheels when in alignment therewith and thereby enable the displacement of the lock bolt by the fence lever, a displaceable spring cam plate coupled to a cam disc associated with the slotted disc so that on every revolution of the cam disc the plate becomes displaced a short distance, a second spring coupled between the fence lever and the cam plate, effective, in the non-displaced position of the plate, to restrain the pivoted movement of the said fence lever under the tension of its spring, and in the displaced position of the plate, to allow the said pivoted movement of the fence lever into said operative position thereof.

2. The combination lock as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said second spring is a wire spring.

3. The combination lock as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the spring cam plate is coupled to the cam disc by an opening of generally closed U-shaped, the cam disc being circular with a removed segment portion engageable with the closed side of the opening.

4. The combination lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2 - 4 of the accompanying drawings.