GB1586074A

GB1586074A - Lock

Info

Publication number: GB1586074A
Application number: GB2056677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: YEAN JANG HWANG
Current assignee: YEAN JANG HWANG
Priority date: 1977-05-16
Filing date: 1977-05-16
Publication date: 1981-03-18

Description

(54) LOCK (71) I, YEANJANG HWANG, a citizen of the Republic ofChina,of4Fl,No. 15, Alley 33, Lane 216, Chung Hsiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of'China, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a lock of the kind in which one or more manually rotatable rings must be located in a predetermined selectable angular position to release the lock.

Known locks of this kind have a plurality of rings, each formed with a slot at its inner circumference, manually rotatable about an elongate bar formed with one or more transverse projections. In order for the lock to be opened, the slots must first be aligned, the bar then being free to move axially and release the lock.

A disadvantage of this type of known lock is that it is easily picked by someone having no knowledge of the correct ring position sequence.

By pulling on the bar whilst rotating each ring in turn, the position of each slot may be felt or heard as the or each projection falls into the slot on an adjacent ring.

In seeking to overcome this disadvantage of known locks, we therefore provide a lock of the kind in which one or more manually rotatable rings must be located in a predetermined selectable angular position to release the lock, the lock comprising: an elongate member formed with a transverse projection; and at least one manually rotatable ring, rotatable about the axis of the elongate member, having a through slot at its inner circumference extending from one side to the other, and a plurality of positioning recesses also formed at its inner circumference but extending from one side thereof only partway through said ring, the through slot and the recesses together defining respective rotatably selectable positions of said ring; said manually rotatable ring com prising a lock ring and a generally annular plate mounted for rotation therewith, and said through slot and said positioning recesses being provided by one of said lock ring and said plate being formed with a through slot at its inner circumference, and the other being formed at its inner circumference with a plurality of slots, one of which is aligned with said first-mentioned slot; and the arrangement being such that in the locked condition the recesses are disposed on the side of the manually rotatable ring towards the transverse projection, the elongate member being slid able axially to release the lock only when said through slot is aligned with the transverse projection.

As an additional security feature, our preferred embodiment has a facility for altering the ring position sequence should the original sequence become known to an unauthorised person.

Our preferred embodiment also has an audible counting mechanism which will enable the lock to be opened in the dark.

In order to enable the invention to be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate diagramatically and by way of example, the preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of the lock; Figure 2 is a perspective view of one type of annular plate used in the lock of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one type of lock ring used in the lock of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a selector ring which is used in the lock of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a barrel illustrating how it co-operates with an elongate flat lock bar in the lock of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the other type of annular plate used in the lock of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the other type of lock ring used in the lock of Figure 1;; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the manually rotatable ring shown at A in Figure 1; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the manually rotatable ring shown at B in Figure 1; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the manually rotatable ring shown at C in Figure; Figure 11 is a perspective view of the manually rotatable ring shown at D in Figure 1; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment installed as a door lock.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a combination lock suitable for use as a door lock. It has mounted at one end a conventional push-button handle 1 of the kind where, if the lock combination is correct, a button 2 mounted on top of handle 1 may be pressed and the lock released.

An elongate flat lock bar 6 has one end thereof connected to the button 2 via a conventional mechanism which translates vertical movement of the button 2 into axially horizontal movement of the bar 6. The other end thereof is connected to a lock tongue via any conventional mechanism which converts axially horizontal movement of bar 6 into a retracting movement of a tongue (see Figure 12).

The bar 6 is slidably mounted in a barrel 3, which barrel is located with one end thereof inserted in a hole in the rear of the handle 1 and fixed thereto. A plurality of transverse projections 7, are spaced along one long edge of bar 6, and project radially outwards through a longitudinal slot 5 which run the length of barrel 3, as shown in Figure 5.

A plurality of lock rings, here equal in number to the total of the transverse projections, and rotatably mounted on barrel 3, are of two types, lock ring 8 illustrated in Figure 3 having one slot 9 at its inner circumference, and lock ring 21 illustrated in Figure 7 having a plurality of equally spaced slots 11 at its inner circumference. Each type is substantially cup-shaped and has mounted therein for rotation therewith an annular plate. These annular plates are also of two types: a plate 10, illustrated in Figure 2, formed at its inner circumference with a plurality of equally spaced slots 11, and mounted with lock ring 8; and a plate 22, illustrated at Figure 6, formed at its inner circumference with one slot 9, and mounted with lock ring 21. Thus, and as shown in Figures 8 to 11, each manually rotatable ring A. B. C.D comprises a lock ring 8 plus a plate 10 or a lock ring 21 plus a plate 22.

The said one slot 9 of each combination is aligned with one of the said plurality of equally spaced slots 11, thus defining a through slot extending from one side of the manually rotatable ring to the other. The re maining equally spaced slots 11 define a plurality of positioning recesses on one face of the manually rotatable ring, the through slot and positioning recesses together defining respective rotatably selectable positions of said manually rotatable ring.

The manually rotatable rings are mounted on barrel 3 in pairs, each pair consisting of one of each type of manually rotatable ring, with the open face of each ring directed towards the other of the pair so as to define an annular space within each pair. Each manually rotat able ring is oriented such that, when the lock is in a closed position, each transverse projection 7 is adjacent the downstream face of its respective ring, with respect to the direction of travel of projection 7 when button 2 is pressed, which face is that formed with the positioning recesses 11.

In order to open the lock, each manually rotatable ring must be rotated to bring it through a slot 9 into alignment with its respective transverse projection 7. Bar 6 is then free to move axially when button 2 is pressed, thus causing retraction of the lock tongue.

The positioning recesses on the downstream face of each manually rotatable ring 9 prevent the lock from being opened by feeling for the position of each through slot by pressing button 2 and simultaneously rotating a manually rotatable ring. When button 2 is pressed, each projection 7 enters a positioning recess 11 on its respective manually rotatable ring, effectively preventing rotation thereof.

A selector ring 14 shown in detail in Figure 4 is mounted within each pair of manually rotatable rings, in the annular space defined thereby, and located on the barrel 3 by means of a pair of axially extending tongues 15 at the inner circumference of each selector ring 14 respectively engaging a pair of axially extending grooves 4 on the barrel 3, thereby preventing rotation of the selector ring 14 relative to the barrel 3. The ring 14 has also an axially extending slot 9 at its inner circumference, aligned with its respective two projections 7 and allowing free passage therethrough.

Each selector ring 14 is formed on both faces with a plurality of selectable recesses 16 equally spaced about the axis of the ring 14 and equal in number to the number of the said rotatably selectable positions. A peg 17 is provided on each face of each selector ring 14, and may be located in any one of the selectable recesses 16 thereon. Each annular plate 10 or 22 has a stop member 13 projecting radially from its outer circumference.

In the assembled lock, full rotation of each manually rotatable ring is prevented by engagement of its stop member 13 with the peg 17 located on the adjacent face of its associated selector ring 14.

This arrangement of peg 17 and stop member 13 allows the lock to be pre-set to any desired digital opening combination. In operation, all the lock rings 8 and 21 are first rotated anticlockwise until engagement of their res pective pegs 17 and stop members 13 occurs.

The rings are all then in their zero position.

Each is then, in turn, rotated clockwise to its pre-set open position in which its through slot 9 is aligned with its associated projection 7.

The digital opening combination may be altered by moving any or all of the pegs 17 to different selectable recesses, thus effectively shifting the zero position of one or all manually rotatable rings. Each manually rotatable ring whose peg 17 has been moved will then require a different degree of rotation to bring its through slot 9 into alignment with its associated projection 7.

In order to enable the lock to be used with out selectable position markings on the exterior of the lock rings needing to be visible, for example in the dark, a clicking device is in corporated into this embodiment of lock.

Each annular plate 10 to 22 is formed with a plurality of cylindrical holes 12 defining a circle around the axis thereof, which holes form spaced locating recesses 12 in the man ually rotatable rings. The number of recesses 12 on each manually rotatable ring is equal to the number of rotatably selectable positions of that manually rotatable ring, one recess 12 corresponding to each position. A pair of dia metrically opposed cylindrical holes extend from one face of each selector ring 14 to the other face. Each hole acts as a ball receiving recess for two balls 19, each ball 19 being dis posed at one surface of selector ring 14 and being biased away from said-ring 14 by a spring 20 located in the hole.

In the assembled lock, rotation of a lock ring 8 or 21 causes the plurality of positioning recesses 12 to rotate relative to the adjacent pair of balls 19, each ball clicking into each recess in turn, thus providing an audible counting mechanism.

As an aid to prevent tampering should the rim of any lock ring 8 or 21 be removed, a cy lindrical ring cover 23 is provided to encircle each selector ring 14 and its associated pair of annular plates 10 and 22.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A lock of the kind in which one or more manually rotatable rings must be located in a predetermined selectable angular position to release the lock, the lock comprising: an elongate member formed with a transverse projection; and at least one manually rotatable ring, rotatable about the axis of the elongate member, having a through slot at its inner circumference extending from one side to the other, and a plurality of positioning recesses also formed at its inner circumference but extending from one side thereof only partway through said ring, the through slot and the recesses together defining respective rotatably selectable positions of said ring; said manually rotatable ring comprising a lock ring and a generally annular plate mounted for rotation therewith, and said through slot and said positioning recesses being provided by one of said lock ring and said plate being formed with a through slot at its inner circumference, and the other being formed at its inner circumference with a plurality of slots, one of which is aligned with said first mentioned slot; and the arrangement being such that in the locked condition the recesses are disposed on the side of the manually rotatable ring towards the transverse projection, the elongate member being slidable axially to release the lock only when said through slot is aligned with the transverse projection.

2. A lock as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the elongate member comprises a barrel formed with a longitudinal slot, and an elongate flat bar formed on one long edge with said transverse projection, which projection extends radially outward through the longi tudinal slot, the bar being slidable axially within the barrel.

3. A lock as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the manually rotatable ring is provided with a stop member; and wherein the lock also comprises a selector ring dis posed about the axis of the elongate member and located thereon adjacent the manually rotatable ring, the selector ring being formed with an axially extending slot at its inner circumference aligned with the transverse projection and being formed with a plurality of.

selectable recesses spaced about the periphery thereof, and each corresponding to a respective rotatably selectable position of the ring, and a peg which may be located in any one of said selectable recesses and which is engageable with the stop member to prevent full rotation of the manually rotatable ring.

4. A lock according to Claim 3, wherein the stop member is formed at the outer periphery of the annular plate.

5. A lock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the manually rotatable ring is formed with a plurality of spaced locating recesses, one corresponding to each of its rotatably selectable positions, the spaced locating recesses defining a circle on one face of said ring in confronting relation to a ball mounted in said lock in a ball-receiving recess and biased towards said manually rotatable ring, whereby, when said ring is rotated, the ball clicks into each locating recess in turn providing an audible counting mechanism.

6. A lock as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each of said spaced locating recesses comprises a cylindrical hole in the annular plate.

7. A lock as claimed in both one of Claim 5 and Claim 6 and one of Claim 3 and Claim 4, wherein said ball is mounted in a ball receiving recess opening at one face of said selector ring.

8. A lock according to any of Claims 3, 4 or 7, having a plurality of manually rotatable rings combined in pairs with a single selector ring disposed between the rings of each pair, the or each selector ring having a similar plurality of selectable recesses, together with an associated peg on each face thereof.

9. A lock according to Claim 8 as appendant to Claim 7, wherein each manually rotatable ring of said pair is formed with a plurality of spaced locating recesses and said selector ring has a respective ball for each surface mounted in a ball receiving recess.

10. A lock according to any of Claims 3, 4, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the or each selector ring is provided with a cylindrical ring cover circumferentially thereabout and extending axially over a greater distance than the axial extent of the selector ring.

11. A lock according to any one of Claims 3, 4, or 7 to 10, wherein the or each selector

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

for example in the dark, a clicking device is in corporated into this embodiment of lock.

Each annular plate 10 to 22 is formed with a plurality of cylindrical holes 12 defining a circle around the axis thereof, which holes form spaced locating recesses 12 in the man ually rotatable rings. The number of recesses

12 on each manually rotatable ring is equal to the number of rotatably selectable positions of that manually rotatable ring, one recess 12 corresponding to each position. A pair of dia metrically opposed cylindrical holes extend from one face of each selector ring 14 to the other face. Each hole acts as a ball receiving recess for two balls 19, each ball 19 being dis posed at one surface of selector ring 14 and being biased away from said-ring 14 by a spring 20 located in the hole.

In the assembled lock, rotation of a lock ring 8 or 21 causes the plurality of positioning recesses 12 to rotate relative to the adjacent pair of balls 19, each ball clicking into each recess in turn, thus providing an audible counting mechanism.

As an aid to prevent tampering should the rim of any lock ring 8 or 21 be removed, a cy lindrical ring cover 23 is provided to encircle each selector ring 14 and its associated pair of annular plates 10 and 22.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A lock of the kind in which one or more manually rotatable rings must be located in a predetermined selectable angular position to release the lock, the lock comprising: an elongate member formed with a transverse projection; and at least one manually rotatable ring, rotatable about the axis of the elongate member, having a through slot at its inner circumference extending from one side to the other, and a plurality of positioning recesses also formed at its inner circumference but extending from one side thereof only partway through said ring, the through slot and the recesses together defining respective rotatably selectable positions of said ring; said manually rotatable ring comprising a lock ring and a generally annular plate mounted for rotation therewith, and said through slot and said positioning recesses being provided by one of said lock ring and said plate being formed with a through slot at its inner circumference, and the other being formed at its inner circumference with a plurality of slots, one of which is aligned with said first mentioned slot; and the arrangement being such that in the locked condition the recesses are disposed on the side of the manually rotatable ring towards the transverse projection, the elongate member being slidable axially to release the lock only when said through slot is aligned with the transverse projection.
2. A lock as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the elongate member comprises a barrel formed with a longitudinal slot, and an elongate flat bar formed on one long edge with said transverse projection, which projection extends radially outward through the longi tudinal slot, the bar being slidable axially within the barrel.
3. A lock as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the manually rotatable ring is provided with a stop member; and wherein the lock also comprises a selector ring dis posed about the axis of the elongate member and located thereon adjacent the manually rotatable ring, the selector ring being formed with an axially extending slot at its inner circumference aligned with the transverse projection and being formed with a plurality of.

selectable recesses spaced about the periphery thereof, and each corresponding to a respective rotatably selectable position of the ring, and a peg which may be located in any one of said selectable recesses and which is engageable with the stop member to prevent full rotation of the manually rotatable ring.
4. A lock according to Claim 3, wherein the stop member is formed at the outer periphery of the annular plate.
5. A lock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the manually rotatable ring is formed with a plurality of spaced locating recesses, one corresponding to each of its rotatably selectable positions, the spaced locating recesses defining a circle on one face of said ring in confronting relation to a ball mounted in said lock in a ball-receiving recess and biased towards said manually rotatable ring, whereby, when said ring is rotated, the ball clicks into each locating recess in turn providing an audible counting mechanism.
6. A lock as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each of said spaced locating recesses comprises a cylindrical hole in the annular plate.
7. A lock as claimed in both one of Claim 5 and Claim 6 and one of Claim 3 and Claim 4, wherein said ball is mounted in a ball receiving recess opening at one face of said selector ring.
8. A lock according to any of Claims 3, 4 or 7, having a plurality of manually rotatable rings combined in pairs with a single selector ring disposed between the rings of each pair, the or each selector ring having a similar plurality of selectable recesses, together with an associated peg on each face thereof.
9. A lock according to Claim 8 as appendant to Claim 7, wherein each manually rotatable ring of said pair is formed with a plurality of spaced locating recesses and said selector ring has a respective ball for each surface mounted in a ball receiving recess.
10. A lock according to any of Claims 3, 4, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the or each selector ring is provided with a cylindrical ring cover circumferentially thereabout and extending axially over a greater distance than the axial extent of the selector ring.
11. A lock according to any one of Claims 3, 4, or 7 to 10, wherein the or each selector

ring is located angularly relative to the barrel by means of a tongue and groove arrangement.
12. A lock according to any preceding Claim in which lock there are a plurality of manually rotatable rings, wherein said elongate member is formed with a respective transverse projection for each said ring.
13. Substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, a lock of the kind in which one or more manually rotatable rings must be located in a predetermined selectable angular position to release the lock.