EP0553509A1

EP0553509A1 - Lock

Info

Publication number: EP0553509A1
Application number: EP92203493A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Noach Eizen
Original assignee: Mul T Lock Ltd
Current assignee: Mul T Lock Ltd
Priority date: 1991-11-20
Filing date: 1992-11-14
Publication date: 1993-08-04
Also published as: NO924462D0; PL171267B1; IL100107A; AU661734B2; BR9204588A; IL100107A0; ECSP920882A; CN1072984A; HUT63676A; HU9203636D0; PL296675A1; AU2847592A; NO924462L

Abstract

A method for operating a locking device in vandalism-prone environments including the steps of providing a lock including a lock cylinder (22) defining a keyway (26) having an egress opening in the interior end thereof, the egress opening being configured and arranged to allow foreign bodies (46) inserted into the keyway (26) to pass through the egress opening upon insertion of the key (60) and removing a foreign body (46) from the lock.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to locks generally, and to door locks and padlocks in particular.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There exist a great variety of locks, many of them having specialized purposes. Applicant has, in the past, developed locks including, for example, reinforced padlocks described in applicant/assignee's U.S. Patents 4,464,915 and 4,548,058.
When padlocks or cylinder door locks are employed in high vandalism environments, they may readily be jammed by the insertion into the keyway thereof of a foreign material, such as paper, wood, plastic or the like.
Padlocks and tumbler mechanisms which have an opening in the interior end of their respective keyways are described in the following United States Patents: 965,409, 3,499,209, and 3,820,364. These publications do not appear to specify any functions for these openings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions seeks to provide an improved door lock or padlock which is particularly suitable for use in high vandalism environments and which can be readily unjammed.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for operating a locking device in vandalism-prone environments including the steps of providing a lock including a lock cylinder defining a keyway having an egress opening in the interior end thereof, the egress opening being configured and arranged to allow foreign bodies inserted into the keyway to pass through the egress opening upon insertion of the key and removing a foreign body from the lock.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of providing also includes the step of providing a foreign-body receiving volume which communicates with the interior end of the keyway via the egress opening.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of removing includes the step of pushing the foreign body through and out of the keyway.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of removing comprises the step of inserting a key such that a foreign body previously inserted into the keyway passes through the egress opening into the foreign-body receiving volume.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a lock, such as a padlock or doorlock, including a lock cylinder defining a keyway and a foreign-body receiving volume which communicates with the interior end of the keyway via an egress opening formed in the interior end of the keyway, the egress opening and the foreign-body receiving volume being configured and arranged to allow foreign bodies inserted into the keyway to pass through the egress opening into the foreign-body receiving volume, upon insertion of the key.
Preferably, a channel is provided through which the foreign body receiving volume communicates with the environment. For example, in a single-cylinder door lock, the channel may be defined in the door handle or door knob.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the door lock comprises a double cylinder door lock and the receiving volume communicating with the keyway of each of the cylinders is defined by the keyway of the other of the cylinders.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lock also comprises a foreign-body removing tool configured for removal of foreign bodies from the foreign-body receiving volume.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the foreign-body receiving volume is at least partly defined by an openable housing such that foreign bodies may be manually removed from the foreign-body receiving volume.
The openable housing may be integrally formed with a door handle.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a door lock including a double cylinder housing, a cylinder plug having a key slot formed therein and being disposed in one side of the double cylinder housing, and a manually operable handle member disposed in a second side of the double cylinder housing and having a hollow interior communicating with the key slot of the cylinder plug, such that foreign material introduced into the key slot can be forced therethrough and into the hollow interior.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a door lock including a double cylinder housing, a cylinder plug having a key slot formed therein and being disposed in one side of the double cylinder housing, and a hollow volume being located at a second side of the double cylinder housing communicating with the key slot of the cylinder plug, such that foreign material introduced into the key slot can be forced therethrough and into the hollow volume.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the door lock also includes a yoke and a key engagement assembly associated with the cylinder plug and including a key engagement member, a first compression spring and an axial pin assembly, the compression spring being disposed between the key engagement member and the axial pin assembly, the axial pin assembly including an axially extending pin, a retaining ring and a second compression spring normally retaining the axially extending pin in a retracted position with respect to the retaining ring, such that the axially extending pin does not normally operatively engage the yoke member.
There is further provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention door lock apparatus including a double cylinder housing, a first cylinder plug having a first key slot formed therein and being disposed in one side of the double cylinder housing, and a second cylinder plug being disposed in a second side of the double cylinder housing and having formed therein a second key slot communicating with the first key slot, such that foreign material introduced into the first key slot can be forced therethrough and into the second key slot and foreign material introduced into the second key slot can be forced therethrough and into the first key slot.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further includes a tool for forcing out foreign material, such that foreign material introduced into either of the first and second key slots can be forced therethrough and to the outside thereof.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tool for forcing out includes a relatively thin and flat member at least twice as long as either of the first and second key slots.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a padlock including a housing, a cylinder disposed in the housing and defining a keyway extending therethrough from a first end of the cylinder to a second end of the cylinder, a yoke, a locking mechanism arranged to be operated by the cylinder for selective locking of the yoke to the housing, and apparatus located adjacent the second end of the cylinder for permitting foreign materials to be forced out of the keyway by an instrument inserted into the keyway at the first end of the cylinder.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the apparatus for permitting includes a volume defined in the housing adjacent the second end of the cylinder for receiving foreign materials forced out of the keyway.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the apparatus for permitting includes an aperture defined in the housing adjacent the second end of the cylinder for permitting egress of foreign materials forced out of the keyway.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the padlock also includes a removably mounted yoke reinforcement element and wherein the volume for receiving foreign materials is located between the housing and the removably mounted yoke reinforcement element.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes a relatively less hard interior portion and a relatively harder external sleeve.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a keyway entry protective plate is disposed adjacent the first end of the cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a door lock having foreign matter inserted in the key slot thereof;
Fig. 2A is a sectional illustration of a single-cylinder door lock constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2B is a sectional illustration corresponding to Fig. 2A, but showing foreign material being forced out through the key slot;
Fig. 2C is a sectional illustration of a single-cylinder door lock which is a variation of the lock of Fig. 2A;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged pictorial illustration of part of the apparatus of Fig. 2A;
Fig. 4A is a sectional illustration of a double-cylinder door lock constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4B is a sectional illustration corresponding to Fig. 4A, but showing foreign material being forced out of one side of the double cylinder and into the other side thereof.
Fig. 4C is a a sectional illustration corresponding to Figs. 4A and 4B, but showing foreign material being forced out through the key slot;
Fig. 5 is a sectional illustration taken along the lines V - V of Fig. 2B.
Fig. 6 is a pictorial illustration of a padlock constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figs. 7A and 7B are sectional illustrations of the padlock of Fig. 6 respectively showing a jammed padlock prior to unjamming thereof and during unjamming thereof; and
Figs. 8A and 8B are illustrations of a preferred locking mechanism for use in the padlock of Figs. 6, 7A and 7B in respective locked and unlocked orientations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which illustrates a door lock cylinder 10 in the key slot 11 of which foreign matter, such as a matchstick 12, has been inserted, as by an act of vandalism. The present invention seeks to provide a door lock which enables the foreign matter, such as matchstick 12, to be conveniently cleared from the key slot 11, without requiring removal of the cylinder from the door or other disassembly.
Reference is now made to Figs. 2A - 5, which illustrate door locks constructed and operative in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention and including a two-sided cylinder housing 20. Figs. 2A - 2C, 3, and 5 illustrate a single lock cylinder embodiment of the invention and Figs. 4A - 4C illustrate a double lock cylinder embodiment of the invention.
In accordance with the single cylinder embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2A, a single lock cylinder 22 is disposed in one side of housing 20 and a manually operable lock handle assembly 24 is disposed in engagement with the other side thereof. Lock cylinder 22 may be any conventional lock cylinder suitable for disposition in a two-sided cylinder housing and has a key slot 26 with which communicate a plurality of locking pins 28.
Disposed at the interior end of lock cylinder 22 is a key operated locking assembly, which is seen particularly in Fig. 3 and includes a key engagement member 30, whose inward displacement is limited by a limiting bar 32, which is fixedly seated across key slot 26 in lock cylinder 22. Key engagement member 30 is normally maintained in spaced relationship with respect to limiting bar 32 by a compression spring 34, as seen Fig. 2A.
Compression spring 34 is disposed between key engagement member 30 and an axial pin assembly 36, which includes an axially extending pin 38, a retaining ring 40 and a compression spring 42, normally retaining the pin 38 in a retracted position with respect to retaining ring 40, such that pin 38 does not normally operatively engage a yoke member 44. The relative positions of the various elements of key operated locking assembly in the absence of insertion of a key in key slot 26 are illustrated in Fig. 2A, which also shows the presence of foreign matter such as a matchstick 46 in the key slot 26.
As seen in Fig. 2A, the cylinder 22 is retained in cylinder housing 20 by means of a conventional retaining ring 48, while handle assembly 24 is retained therein by a conventional retaining ring 50. It is seen that handle assembly 24 operatively engages yoke 44 for rotation thereof by means of a protrusion 54 which engages a corresponding slot 56 in yoke 44.
It is a particular feature of the present invention that handle assembly 24 is formed with a generally hollow portion 52, which communicates with the interior of the key slot 26, so as to permit foreign matter which has been placed in the key slot 26 to be forced out through key slot 26 into the interior of hollow portion 52, as illustrated generally in Fig. 2B.
It may be appreciated from a consideration of Figs. 3 and 2B, that when a key 60 is fully inserted into the key slot 26, as illustrated in Fig. 2B, the forward edge of the key displaces key engagement member 30 axially until it engages limiting bar 32. This forward axial movement compresses spring 34 and forces pin 38 axially forward through retaining ring 40, while compressing spring 42. The extension of pin 38 axially forward brings it into operative engagement with a correspondingly shaped recess 66 (Fig. 3) formed in yoke 44, such that rotation of key 60 produces rotation of cylinder 22 and corresponding rotation of thus operatively engaged pin 38 and yoke 44, thereby providing locking operation.
Fig. 2B also illustrates how the forward edge of key 60 is operative to force foreign material such as matchstick 46 out of the key slot 26, alongside limiting bar 32 and into the hollow volume defined by hollow portion 52. It is noted that when necessary, accumulated foreign material inside portion 52 may be removed either by removing a handle element 68 therefrom or by removing handle assembly 24 from cylinder housing 20 as by disengagement of retaining ring 50.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 2C, a channel 70 is formed in handle element 68 which communicates with the environment via an aperture 72. A particular advantage of this feature is that a foreign body may pass through aperture 72, thereby removing the foreign body without removing either handle element 68 or handle assembly 24.
In the double cylinder embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4A, a first lock cylinder 122 is disposed in one side of housing 20 and a second lock cylinder 123 is disposed in the other side thereof. Lock cylinders 122 and 123 may be any conventional lock cylinders and are, preferably, both of the same type. Cylinders 122 and 123 include respective key slots 126 and 127 with which communicate respective sets of locking pins 128 and 129, of which one set is preferably an exact duplicate of the other set.
The key operated locking assembly is disposed between the interior ends of lock cylinders 122 and 123 and includes key engagement members 130 and 131, whose inward displacements are limited by limiting bars 132 and 133, which are fixedly seated across key slots 126 and 127, respectively, in lock cylinders 122 and 123. Key engagement members 130 and 131 are normally maintained in spaced relationship with respect to limiting bars 132 and 133 by compression springs 134 and 135.
Compression spring 134 is disposed between key engagement member 130 and an axial pin assembly 136, and spring 135 is disposed between key engagement member 131 and an axial pin assembly 137. Assemblies 136 and 137 include axially extending pins 138 and 139, retaining rings 140 and 141 and compression springs 142 and 143, normally retaining pins 138 and 139 in respective retracted positions with respect to retaining rings 140 and 141, such that neither pin 138 nor pin 139 normally operatively engage a yoke member 144. The relative positions of the various elements of the key operated locking assemblies in the absence of insertion of a key in either of key slots 126 and 127 are illustrated in Fig. 4A, which also shows the presence of foreign matter such as a matchstick 146 in key slot 126.
As seen in Fig. 4A, cylinders 122 and 123 are retained in cylinder housing 20 by means of conventional retaining rings 148 and 149.
It may be appreciated from a consideration of Fig. 4B, that when a key 160 is fully inserted into key slot 126, as illustrated in Fig. 4B, the forward edge of the key displaces key engagement member 130 axially until it engages limiting bar 132. This forward axial movement compresses spring 134 and forces pin 138 axially forward through retaining ring 140, while compressing spring 142. The extension of pin 138 axially forward brings it into operative engagement with a correspondingly shaped recess 166 (Fig. 3) formed in yoke 144, such that rotation of key 160 produces rotation of cylinder 122 and corresponding rotation of the operatively engaged pin 138 and yoke 144, thereby providing locking operation.
Although not shown in the drawings, it should be appreciated that, similarly, rotation of yoke 144 is also achieved when key 160 is fully inserted into key slot 127 and rotated. In such a case, pin 139 operatively engages and rotates yoke 144.
Fig. 4B also illustrates how the forward edge of key 160 is operative to force foreign material such as matchstick 146 out of the key slot 126, alongside limiting bar 132 and into key slot 127.
Reference is now made to Fig. 4C, which illustrates a preferred procedure for completely removing foreign material from both of cylinders 122 and 123 by employing a removing tool 170, which preferably includes an unpointed, narrow, thin, flat and slightly elastic blade 172 at least twice as long as either of cylinders 122 and 123. Fig. 4C illustrates how the forward edge of blade 172 of tool 170 is operative to force foreign material 146 through key slot 127 and to the outside thereof, thereby completely unjamming the door lock. It should be appreciated that tool 170 may equally be used for ejecting foreign material from key slot 126.
Reference is now made to Figs. 6, 7A and 7B, which illustrate a padlock constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and including a housing 210, typically formed of a relatively soft metal, such as iron, and which is preferably surrounded by a reinforcing sleeve 212, typically formed of heat-treated steel.
Disposed in appropriately sized volumes in housing 210 are a lock cylinder 214, which may be of conventional construction and which defines a keyway 216, extending from a first end 218 of the cylinder to a second end 220 thereof. The cylinder 214 is arranged in operative engagement with first and second locking levers 222 and 224, which are illustrated in Figs. 8A and 8B, and which are operative for selectably locking a yoke 226 within the housing 210.
Additional reinforcing means 228 may be provided partially surrounding yoke 226 and may be bolted onto housing sleeve 212 by means of bolts 230. A keyway protection plate 232 is disposed adjacent the first end 218 of the cylinder 214 and lies between the first end of the cylinder 214 and a key entry aperture 234 formed in sleeve 212.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, means are provided for enabling foreign material 236, which is located within the keyway 216, to be evacuated therefrom. In the embodiment illustrated herein, a volume 238 is provided within housing 210 for accommodating foreign material 236 when it is forced from the keyway, as by insertion thereinto of a key 240. According to one embodiment of the invention, volume 238 may communicate with an aperture 242 in housing 210 so as to permit egress of the foreign material 236 from the housing.
In the illustrated embodiment, aperture 242 is threaded so as to accommodate bolt 230, which serves to removably attach reinforcing means 228 to housing 210 as explained above. Alternatively, volume 238 may be eliminated and the keyway 216 may communicate directly with an egress aperture at the second end 220 of the cylinder 214. The egress aperture may be normally blocked by any suitable means to prevent ingress thereto of foreign matter.
Referring briefly to Figs. 8A and 8B, which illustrate locking levers 222 and 224, it is seen that the levers are configured to allow passage of foreign material 236 therethrough, as seen particularly in Fig. 7B.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims which follow:

Claims

A method for operating a locking device in vandalism-prone environments comprising the steps of:
providing a lock including a lock cylinder defining a keyway having an egress opening in the interior end thereof,
the egress opening being configured and arranged to allow foreign bodies inserted into the keyway to pass through the egress opening upon insertion of the key; and
removing a foreign body from the lock.
A lock comprising:
a lock cylinder defining a keyway; and
a foreign-body receiving volume which communicates with the interior end of the keyway via an egress opening formed in the interior end of the keyway,
the egress opening and the foreign-body receiving volume being configured and arranged to allow foreign bodies inserted into the keyway to pass through the egress opening into the foreign-body receiving volume, upon insertion of the key.
A door lock comprising:
a double cylinder housing;
a cylinder plug having a key slot formed therein and being disposed in one side of the double cylinder housing; and
a manually operable handle member disposed in a second side of the double cylinder housing and having a hollow interior communicating with the key slot of the cylinder plug, such that foreign material introduced into the key slot can be forced therethrough and into the hollow interior.
A door lock comprising:
a double cylinder housing;
a cylinder plug having a key slot formed therein and being disposed in one side of the double cylinder housing; and
a hollow volume being located at a second side of the double cylinder housing communicating with the key slot of the cylinder plug, such that foreign material introduced into the key slot can be forced therethrough and into the hollow volume.
A door lock apparatus comprising:
a double cylinder housing;
a first cylinder plug having a first key slot formed therein and being disposed in one side of the double cylinder housing; and
a second cylinder plug being disposed in a second side of the double cylinder housing and having formed therein a second key slot communicating with the first key slot, such that foreign material introduced into the first key slot can be forced therethrough and into the second key slot and foreign material introduced into the second key slot can be forced therethrough and into the first key slot.
A padlock comprising:
a housing;
a cylinder disposed in the housing and defining a keyway extending therethrough from a first end of the cylinder to a second end of the cylinder;
a yoke;
a locking mechanism arranged to be operated by the cylinder for selective locking of the yoke to the housing; and
means located adjacent the second end of the cylinder for permitting foreign materials to be forced out of the keyway by an instrument inserted into the keyway at the first end of the cylinder.