EP0138926A1 - An engagement lock, preferably for a container - Google Patents

An engagement lock, preferably for a container

Info

Publication number
EP0138926A1
EP0138926A1 EP84901342A EP84901342A EP0138926A1 EP 0138926 A1 EP0138926 A1 EP 0138926A1 EP 84901342 A EP84901342 A EP 84901342A EP 84901342 A EP84901342 A EP 84901342A EP 0138926 A1 EP0138926 A1 EP 0138926A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cavity
diameter
section
cross
depression
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP84901342A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Flemming Sorensen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ONESEAL ApS
Original Assignee
ONESEAL ApS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ONESEAL ApS filed Critical ONESEAL ApS
Publication of EP0138926A1 publication Critical patent/EP0138926A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B65/00—Locks or fastenings for special use
    • E05B65/52—Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
    • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
    • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
    • G09F3/0305—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used
    • G09F3/0317—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having bolt like sealing means

Abstract

Dans une fermeture à engagement comportant deux éléments (1 et 2), le premier élément (1) est un corps en forme de tige de diamètre (dy) dont une extrémité (6) est conçue pour être insérée dans une cavité (3) de diamètre (Di) du second élément (2). La cavité (3) possède une dépression annulaire (9) comportant un anneau ressort (10) d'épaisseur (t) qui engage de façon verrouillée une dépression annulaire (7) de diamètre (di) du corps en forme de tige (1) après introduction du corps en forme de tige dans la cavité (3). Pour garantir que la fermeture à engagement ne puisse être ouverte sans indication extérieure d'endommagement, la dépression annulaire (9) de la cavité (3) est façonnée en deux dépressions partielles (11, 12), comme montré en coupe transversale, respectivement de diamètre (Dy) et (D) où Di<di + 2t<D<dy + 2t<Dy.In an engagement closure comprising two elements (1 and 2), the first element (1) is a rod-shaped body of diameter (dy), one end (6) of which is adapted to be inserted into a cavity (3) of diameter (Di) of the second element (2). The cavity (3) has an annular depression (9) comprising a spring ring (10) of thickness (t) which lockably engages an annular depression (7) of diameter (di) of the rod-shaped body (1). after introduction of the rod-shaped body into the cavity (3). To ensure that the snap closure cannot be opened without external indication of damage, the annular depression (9) of the cavity (3) is formed into two partial depressions (11, 12), as shown in cross section, respectively of diameter (Dy) and (D) where Di <di + 2t <D <dy + 2t <Dy.

Description

An engagement lock, preferably for a container
The invention relates to an engagement lock, preferably for a container with locking eyes, comprising two members, the first one of which is formed by a rod-shaped body of the diameter dy whose one end, the introduction end, is designed to be passed through the locking eyes and be inserted into a cavity of the diameter Di in the second member, and whose other end as well as said second member having such transverse dimensions that they cannot pass through the locking eyes, said cavity in the second member having an annular depression which contains a C-shaped spring ring of the thickness t which is designed to automatically lockingly engage an annular depression of the diameter di at the bottom of the rodshaped body upon introduction of the rod-shaped body into the cavity.
Such an engagement lock is known e.g. from the Danish Patent Specification 144 619 and the British Patent Specification 2 027 788.
Engagement locks of this type are used as a combination of a lock and a seal. Opening of such locks requires a very strong tool, such as a bolt cutter, which simultaneously clearly shows that the lock, which may e.g. be embossed with a number corresponding to a specific container, has been broken open.
However, it has been found that all the known locks of the above-mentioned type can be opened by unauthorized persons without any exterior indications of damage to the lock, which can be relocked after the container has been broken into. Such opening is effected by urging the two members of the lock apart with a certain force while rotating them with respect to each other. During this procedure the ends of the spring ring bite into the rod-shaped member by friction so that the spring ring opens so much that it is forced into the depression of greatest diameter in the cavity of the second member, enabling the rod-shaped body to be pulled out of the cavity.
This drawback can be remedied to some extent by providing the spring ring with a lubricant, e.g. grease, but still it is not quite certain that the seal function of the lock is reliable.
The object o f the invention is to overcome the mentioned very troublesome drawback of the known engagement locks.
This object is achieved according to the invention in that, as seen in cross-section, the annular depression in the cavity is formed as two partial depressions adjoining in the axial direction, the innermost one of said partial depressions having the diameter Dy at the bottom, the transitional region between the partial depressions having the diameter D, where
Di< + 2t <D <dy + 2t<Dy.
When an attempt is made at urging the two locking members apart, the spring rod is drawn up into the outermost one of the two partial depressions in the cavity. The diameter of the outermost partial depression is too small to enable the rod-shaped body to be pulled up when the spring ring is disposed in the outermost partial depression. Of course, the members cannot be lockingly engaged either while the spring ring is in the outermost partial depression. When the two members are interlocked the spring ring is forced down into the innermost partial depression in the second member. When the inequalities stated in the claim are satisfied, it is not possible to open the engagement lock by urging the members apart while rotating them.
When the stated inequalities are satisfied, the crosssection of the partial depressions may assume many different shapes, and claims 2 to 5 define a plurality of expedient embodiments.
The invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which
fig. 1 shows a known engagement lock of the present type.
fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the locking mechanism and the geometry of an engagement lock according to the invention with dimension symbols,
fig. 3 shows an embodiment according to the invention of a continuous cross-section of the annular depression in the second member,
fig. 4 shows another embodiment according to the invention of a continuous cross-section,
figs. 5-9 show five different embodiments of discontinuous cross-sections in connection with straight lines forming various angles α with the axial direction of the cavity, and
figs. 10-14 show embodiments where the cross-section according to the invention consists of two continuous curves meeting in a discontinuity in the transitional region where the curve forming the outermost partial de pression has a tangent forming various angles α with the axial direction of the cavity.
The engagement lock shown in fig. 1 consists of two members 1 and 2 designed to be automatically lockingly engaged when the first member 1, which is in the form of a rod-shaped body, is inserted into a cavity 3 in the second member 2. The engagement lock is used for locking a container, the rod-shaped body 1 being passed through locking eyes, indicated at 4 and 5 in f ig. 1 , o f the container pr io r to its locking engagement with the second member 2 of the lock. The rod-shaped body, which has preferably a circular cross-section of the diameter dY, has at one end, the introduction end 6, an annular depression 7 of the diameter di at the bottom and has at the other end a head 8 of considerably greater diameter than the rod-shaped body 1 itself, so that this head 8 cannot be passed through the locking eyes 4 and 5.
The second member 2 has in the cavity 3 an annular depression 9 containing a C-shaped spring or locking ring 10 of the thickness t, which is designed to lockingly engage the depression 7 upon introduction of the rodshaped body 1 into the cavity 3. To facilitate the introduction the introduction end 6 of the rod-shaped body 1 is conically tapered.
It appears from the following figures 2 to 6 that the depression 9 of the invention, as shown in fig. 1, is formed as two partial depressions 11 and 12 adjoining in the axial direction, of which the innermost partial depression 11 has the diameter Dy at the bottom, and the transitional region 13 between the partial depressions 11 and 12 has the diameter D. The transitional region 13 is geometrically determined by the following inequality:
di + 2t<D<dy + 2t where
di + 2t>DI and
dy + 2t<DY so that the condition may be expressed as:
Di < di + 2t<D<dy + 2t<DY.
As appears from figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the cross-section of the depressions 11, 12 may assume many different shapes when the above-mentioned condition is satisfied.
As shown in figs. 3 and 4, the cross-section of the annular depression 11, 12 may be a discontinuous curve which has, in the transitional region 13, an inflexion forming an angle α ≦ 15° with the axial direction 14 of the cavity or a tangent parallel with the axial direction 14.
Figs. 5-9 show a plurality of embodiments in which the cross-section of the depression is a discontinuous curve with a discontinuity in the transitional region 13, from which the cross-section in a direction toward the outermost partial depression 12 forms a straight line 15 forming an angle α with the axis 14 of the cavity. It applies to the five shown embodiments that
-105° ≦ α < -90°, α= -90°, -90° < α < 0°, α= 0º and 0º < α ≦ 15°, respectively. Finally, the cross-section of the partial depressions
11 and 12 may form a split curve with a discontinuity in the transitional region 13, from which the crosssection in a direction toward the outermost depression
12 is constituted by a curve having, in the discontinuity region 13, a tangent forming an angle α with the axis of the cavity. It applies to the three shown embodiments that α = -90°, -90°<α <15° and α = 15°. -105° ≦ α < -90°, α = -90°, -90° ≦α < 0°, α = 0° and 0° < α ≦ 15°, respectively.
An engagement lock, preferably for a container
The invention relates to an engagement lock, preferably for a container with locking eyes, comprising two members, the first one of which is formed by a rod-shaped body of the diameter dy whose one end, the introduction end, is designed to be passed through the locking eyes and be inserted into a cavity of the diameter Di in the second member, and whose other end as well as said second member having such transverse dimensions that they cannot pass through the locking eyes, said cavity in the second member having an annular depression which contains a C-shaped spring ring of the thickness t which is designed to automatically lockingly engage an annular depression of the diameter di at the bottom of the rodshaped body upon introduction of the rod-shaped body into the cavity.
Such an engagement lock is known e.g. from the Danish Patent Specification 144 619 and the British Patent Specification 2 027 788.
Engagement locks of this type are used as a combination of a lock and a seal. Opening of such locks requires a very strong tool, such as a bolt cutter, which simultaneously clearly shows that the lock, which may e.g. be embossed with a number corresponding to a specific container, has been broken open.
However, it has been found that all the known locks of the above-mentioned type can be opened by unauthorized persons without any exterior indications of damage to the lock, which can be re locked after the container has been broken into. Such opening is effected by urging the two members of the lock apart with a certain force while rotating them with respect to each other. During this procedure the ends of the spring ring bite into the rod-shaped member by friction so that the spring ring opens so much that it is forced into the depression of greatest diameter in the cavity of the second member, enabling the rod-shaped body to be pulled out of the cavity.
This drawback can be remedied to some extent by providing the spring ring with a lubricant, e.g. grease, but still it is not quite certain that the seal function of the lock is reliable.
The object of the invention is to overcome the mentioned very troublesome drawback of the known engagement locks.
This object is achieved according to the invention in that, as seen in cross-section, the annular depression in the cavity is formed as two partial depressions adjoining in the axial direction, the innermost one of said partial depressions having the diameter D at the bottom, the transitional region between the partial depressions having the diameter D, where
Di< + 2t <D <dy + 2t<Dy.
When an attempt is made at urging the two locking members apart, the spring rod is drawn up into the outermost one of the two partial depressions in the cavity. The diameter of the outermost partial depression is too small to enable the rod-shaped body to be pulled up when the spring ring is disposed in the outermost partial depression. Of course, the members cannot be lockingly engaged either while the spring ring is in the outermost partial depression. When the two members are interlocked the spring ring is forced down into the innermost partial depression in the second member. When the inequalities stated in the claim are satisfied, it is not possible to open the engagement lock by urging the members apart while rotating them.
When the stated inequalities are satisfied, the crosssection of the partial depressions may assume many different shapes, and claims 2 to 5 define a plurality of expedient embodiments.
The invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which
fig. 1 shows a known engagement lock of the present type.
fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the locking mechanism and the geometry of an engagement lock according to the invention with dimension symbols,
fig. 3 shows an embodiment according to the invention of a continuous cross-section of the annular depression in the second member,
fig. 4 shows another embodiment according to the invention of a continuous cross-section,
figs. 5-9 show five different embodiments of discontinuous cross-sections in connection with straight lines forming various angles α with the axial direction of the cavity, and
figs. 10-14 show embodiments where the cross-section according to the invention consists of two continuous curves meeting in a discontinuity in the transitional region where the curve forming the outermost partial de pression has a tangent forming various angles α with the axial direction of the cavity.
The engagement lock shown in fig. 1 consists of two members 1 and 2 designed to be automatically lockingly engaged when the first member 1, which is in the form of a rod-shaped body, is inserted into a cavity 3 in the second member 2. The engagement lock is used for locking a container, the rod-shaped body 1 being passed through locking eyes, indicated at 4 and 5 in fig. 1, of the container prior to its locking engagement with the second member 2 of the lock. The rod-shaped body, which has preferably a circular cross-section of the diameter dY, has at one end, the introduction end 6, an annular depression 7 of the diameter di at the bottom and has at the other end a head 8 of considerably greater diameter than the rod-shaped body 1 itself, so that this head 8 cannot be passed through the locking eyes 4 and 5.
The second member 2 has in the cavity 3 an annular depression 9 containing a C-shaped spring or locking ring 10 of the thickness t, which is designed to lockingly engage the depression 7 upon introduction of the rodshaped body 1 into the cavity 3. To facilitate the introduction the introduction end 6 of the rod-shaped body is conically tapered.
It appears from the following figures 2 to 6 that the depression 9 of the invention, as shown in fig. 1, is formed as two partial depressions 11 and 12 adjoining in the axial direction, of which the innermost partial depression 11 has the diameter Dy at the bottom, and the transitional region 13 between the pa rtial depress ions 11 and 12 has the diameter D . The transitional region 13 is geometrically determined by the following inequality:
di + 2t<D<dy + 2t where
di + 2t>DI and
dy + 2t<DY so that the condition may be expressed as :
Di<di + 2t<D<dy + 2t<DY.
As appears from figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the cross-section of the depressions 11, 12 may assume many different shapes when the above-mentioned condition is satisfied.
As shown in figs. 3 and 4, the cross-section of the annular depression 11, 12 may be a discontinuous curve which has, in the transitional region 13, an inflexion forming an angle α ≦ 15° with the axial direction 14 of the cavity or a tangent parallel with the axial direction 14.
Figs. 5-9 show a plurality of embodiments in which the cross-section of the depression is a discontinuous curve with a discontinuity in the transitional region 13, from which the cross-section in a direction toward the outermost partial depression 12 forms a straight line 15 forming an angle α with the axis 14 of the cavity. It applies to the five shown embodiments that
-105° ≦ α < -90°, α= -90°, -90° < α < 0º, α= 0° and 0° < α ≦ 15°, respectively. Finally, the cross-section of the partial depressions
11 and 12 may form a split curve with a discontinuity in the transitional region 13, from which the crosssection in a direction toward the outermost depression
12 is constituted by a curve having, in the discontinuity region 13, a tangent forming an angle α with the axis of the cavity. It applies to the three shown embodiments that α = -90°, -90° < α <15° and α = 15°. -105° ≦ α < -90°, α= -90°, -90°≦ α < 0°, α= 0° and 0° < α ≦ 15°, respectively.

Claims

P a t e n t c l a i m s :
1. An engagement lock, preferably for a container with locking eyes, comprising two members, the first one of which is formed by a rod-shaped body of the diameter dY whose one end, the introduction end, is designed to be passed through the locking eyes and be inserted into a cavity of the diameter Di in the second member, and whose other end as well as said second member have such transverse dimensions that they cannot pass through the locking eyes, said cavity in the second member having an annular depression which contains a C-shaped spring ring of the thickness t which is designed to automatically lockingly engage an annular depression of the diameter di at the bottom of the rod-shaped body upon introduction of the rod-shaped body into the cavity, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that, as seen in cross-section, the annular depression in the cavity is formed as two partial depressions adjoining in the axial direction, the innermost one of said partial depressions having the diameter DY at the bottom, the transitional region between the partial depressions having the diameter D, where
Di <di + 2t< D <dy + 2t< Dy.
2. An engagement lock according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the annular depression in the cavity forms a curve which is continuous as seen in cross-section and has, in the transitional region, an inflexion forming an angle α ≦ 15° with the axial direction of the cavity (fig. 3).
3. An engagement lock according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the annular depression in the cavity forms a curve which is continuous as seen in cross-section and has, in the transitional region, a tangent parallel with the axial direction of the cavity (fig. 4).
4. An engagement lock according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the annular depression in the cavity forms a curve which is discontinuous as seen in cross-section and has a discontinuity in the transitional region, from which the cross-section in a direction toward the outermost partial depression is formed by a substantially straight line forming an angle α wlth the axis of the cavity, where
-105° ≦ α ≦ + 15° (fig. 5).
5. An engagement lock according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the annular depression in the cavity forms a curve which is split as seen in cross-section and has a discontinuity in the transitional region from which the cross-section in a direction toward the outermost partial depression is formed by a curvilinear curve having in the discontinuity region a tangent forming an angle α with the axis of the cavity, where:
-105º ≦ α ≦ 15° (fig. 6).
EP84901342A 1983-04-06 1984-04-05 An engagement lock, preferably for a container Withdrawn EP0138926A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK153283A DK153283A (en) 1983-04-06 1983-04-06 SINGLE LAYOUT, FOR A CONTAINER
DK1532/83 1983-04-06

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0138926A1 true EP0138926A1 (en) 1985-05-02

Family

ID=8105815

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84901342A Withdrawn EP0138926A1 (en) 1983-04-06 1984-04-05 An engagement lock, preferably for a container

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0138926A1 (en)
JP (1) JPS60501272A (en)
KR (1) KR850002114A (en)
DK (1) DK153283A (en)
ES (1) ES286684Y (en)
IT (1) IT1173572B (en)
PT (1) PT78373B (en)
WO (1) WO1984003980A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2186973A1 (en) 2008-11-18 2010-05-19 Minna ApS A cover for an engagement lock of a container

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1236935A (en) * 1967-09-02 1971-06-23 Plessey Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to gear pumps more particularly for use with hot hydrocarbon liquid fuels
US3812756A (en) * 1970-02-11 1974-05-28 M Wenger Positive lock self-retained fastener
US3980337A (en) * 1972-12-07 1976-09-14 E. J. Brooks Company Locking seal
US3945671A (en) * 1974-10-23 1976-03-23 Emhart Corporation Seal lock and the like incorporating permanently secured single engagement
FR2390618B1 (en) * 1977-05-12 1985-11-29 Lamouric Pol DEVICE FOR ROTATING A TOOL IN A TOOL HOLDER
US4280726A (en) * 1978-05-17 1981-07-28 Aardee Spring & Lock Company Limited Keyless lockable security devices

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES286684Y (en) 1986-06-01
IT1173572B (en) 1987-06-24
KR850002114A (en) 1985-05-06
PT78373A (en) 1984-05-01
DK153283D0 (en) 1983-04-06
WO1984003980A1 (en) 1984-10-11
DK153283A (en) 1984-10-07
ES286684U (en) 1985-11-16
IT8420394A0 (en) 1984-04-05
PT78373B (en) 1986-03-20
JPS60501272A (en) 1985-08-08

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Legal Events

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PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

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Designated state(s): BE DE FR GB NL

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19841204

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19860425

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18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19860908

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: SORENSEN, FLEMMING