EP0082626A1

EP0082626A1 - Simple combination lock

Info

Publication number: EP0082626A1
Application number: EP82306470A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mark Coulson Ryan
Original assignee: COULSON RYAN MARK
Current assignee: COULSON RYAN MARK
Priority date: 1981-12-22
Filing date: 1982-12-06
Publication date: 1983-06-29
Also published as: GB2112845B; GB2112845A

Abstract

The lock is characterised by at least one shaft element (11), is provided of a diameter chosen to locate in a rotatable manner within an aperture (5,6) adjacent a wall opening (2), and also an aperture 9,10) in a shutter (3) which is slidable to open and close said opening, the shaft element having a head part (12) for locating against the secure side of said wall or shutter as appropriate, the length of the shaft providing an outer end part (14) which projects outwardly from the outermost surface of said wall or shutter as appropriate, that intermediate part (13a) of the shaft length which locates within only one of the wall and shutter apertures being formed as a flat, diametral web (15), and by a manipulating element (18) having a dial (19) with combination numbers (20) fitted on the outer end part of its shaft element in one of a number of different fixed rotational positions, to determine the combination. In use, the manipulating element is rotatable to bring its respective shaft element web into alignment with, and thereafter slide in, an associated slot (7) opening into the aperture of the appropriate wall or shutter.

Description

This invention relates to a combination lock of simple construction, which is primarily intended to use with toys e.g. childs money boxes.
In order to provide some feeling of security, childs money boxes are often provided with a simple lock, mostly operable by a key. However, to reduce manufacturing and assembly costs to a minimum, particularly for money boxes which are formed from plastics material, it is preferable to provide a lock which is also formed from plastics material.
An object of the invention is to provide a combination lock of a particularly simple construction, which can be readily formed from plastics material.
According to this invention, a combination lock is characterised in that at least one rotatable shaft eletneut is provided of a diameter chosen to locate in a rotatable manner within an aperture defined adjacent an opening in the wall of the product to which the lock is to be fitted, and also through an aperture in a shutter which is slidable to open and close said opening, one end of the shaft element being provided with a head part for locating against the innermost surface (i.e. the secure side) of said wall or shutter as appropriate, the length of the shaft being sufficient to pass through the wall and shutter apertures and provide an outer end part which will project outwardly from the outermost surface of said wall or shutter as appropriate, that part of the shaft length which, in use, locates within only one of the wall and shutter apertures being formed as a flat, diametral web, and in that a manipulating element is provided having a dial with combination numbers,or the like, thereon, which element is formed with means by which it can be fitted on the outer end part of the shaft element in any one of a number of different fixed rotational positions, which position determines the combination, the manipulating element, in use, being rotatable to bring the diametral web of the shaft element into alignment with, and thereafter slide in, an associated slot in said wall or shutter as appropriate, which opens radially into that aperture in which said diametral web is located, thereby permitting the shutter to slide relatively to its wall opening.
The invention includes within its scope a product with a wall covered by a shutter and incorporating such a combination lock.
In order that the invention may be readily understood, and further features made apparent, one embodiment of simple combination lock for a money box will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a wall for the money box with an opening covered by a slidable shutter and incorporating the combination lock,
Figures 2a and 2b are enlarged end and side elevations of the shaft element, and
Figures 3a and 3b are end and side elevations of the manipulating element.

Referring first to Figure 1, the wall 1 of the money box is of plastics material and is formed with an opening 2 intended to be opened and closed by a slidable shutter 3, which in this embodiment is located against the exterior wall surface. Adjacent the upper edge 4 of the opening, the wall is formed with a pair of spaced apertures 5, 6 with respective slots 7, 8 which are parallel to each other and which open radially into respective apertures 5 and 6. At corresponding spaced positions towards its upper edge, the shutter 3 is also formed with apertures 9, 10. All the apertures 5, 6, 9 and 10 are of the same chosen diameter. Each set of apertures 5, 9 and 6, 10 in the wall and shutter is intended to support a shaft element 11 of the combination lock.
Referring now to Figures 2a and 2b, the shaft element, which is also formed from plastics material, comprises a head part 12 which engages againstthe inner surface of the wall 1, an intermediate part 13a, and 13b which is located with a rotatable fit within its set of apertures 5, 9 or 6, 10 and a reduced diameter outer end part 14, which projects from the outer surface of the shutter 3. It is to be noted that the intermediate part 13a, which locates only within its wall aperture 5 or 6, is formed as a diametral web 15 of a width which is chosen so that it can slide within a respective slot 7 or 8 of the wall, whilst the intermediate part 13b provides a journal surface within its shutter aperture 9 or 10. The outer end part is formed with an axial tapered external spline 16. Each shaft element 11 has a manipulating element 17.
Referring now to Figures 3a and 3b, each manipulating element, which is also formed from plastics material, is in the form of a knob 18 having a circular dial 19 around which combination numbers 20 are spaced. A central bore 21 is provided and is formed with 11 equi-spaced axial tapered internal splines 22. Thus, it will be appreciated that each manipulating element may be fixed onto the outer end part 14 of its shaft element in any one of eleven different relative rotational positions, there being a corresponding combination number for each of these positions so that the combination number is determined initially by fitting an appropriate internal spline 22 of the knob 18 to the external spline 16 of its shaft element 11.
In use, when the knobs 18 are rotated to the correct combination number, their respective diametral webs 15 of shaft elements 11 are brought into alignment with their respective slots 7 and 8, thereby leaving the shutter 3 free to slide and uncover its opening 2 by movement of the shaft elements 11 along their respective slots 7, 8. In all other rotational positions the diametral webs are angled with respect to their respective slots and hence prevent sliding movement of the shutter 3.

Claims

1. A combination lock characterised in that at least one rotatable shaft element is provided of a diameter chosen to locate in a rotatable manner within an aperture defined adjacent an opening in the wall of the product to which the lock is to be fitted, and also through an aperture defined in a shutter which is slidable to open and close said opening, one end of the shaft element being provided with a head part for locating against the innermost surface (i.e. the secure side) of said wall or shutter as appropriate, the length of the shaft being sufficient to pass through the wall and shutter apertures and provide an outer end part which will project outwardly from the outermost surface of said wall or shutter as appropriate, that part of the shaft length which, in use, locates within only one of the wall and shutter apertures being formed as a flat, diametral web, and in that a manipulating element is provided having a dial with combination numbers, or the like, thereon, which element is formed with means by which it can be fitted on said outer end part of the shaft element in any one of a number of different fixed rotational positions, which position determines the combination, the manipulating element, in use, being rotatable to bring the diametral web of the shaft element into alignment with, and thereafter slide in, an associated slot defined in said wall or shutter as appropriate, which opens radially into said one aperture in which said diametral web is located, thereby permitting the shutter to slide relatively to its wall opening.

2. A combination lock according to Claim 1, characterised in that said means for fitting the manipulating element on said outer end part of the shaft element comprises an axial external spline on said outer end part, and a number of equi-spaced axial internal splines spaced around a bore defined in said manipulating element, there being one said internal spline for each combination number or the like so that the combination may be initially set by fitting an appropriate internal spline to said external spline.

3. A wall opening covered by a sliding shutter provided with at least a combination lock according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least two said rotatable shaft elements and manipulatin^q elements are provided, the apertures in the wall for said shaft elements bein□ in spaced relationship along and adjacent a common edge of said openinq and the associated slots being directed away from said common edge in parallel relationship.