GB2058196A - A Casket and its Lock Device - Google Patents

Abstract

A casket comprising a casket body and a closing cover, as well as a lock device which is a shackle and key padlock 121, received in a housing in the casket. The face of the padlock where the key hole is provided, is accessible from the outside of the casket. In the embodiment shown a stud 125 fixed on the padlock body 122 engages in an aperture 72 to hold the lid closed. When the key releases the padlock the body 122 moves outwardly relative to the fixed shackle and withdraws the stud 125. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Casket and its Locking Device The invention relates to a casket and its locking device.

For facilitating the lodgment of sums of money in banking establishments, the latter are often provided on the frontage of their premises with a door allowing, when opened with an appropriate key, the introduction of a casket, deed-box or similar in an inner protected enclosure of the establishment.

The caskets are generally closed by a padlock.

Hitherto however, such caskets having a cover closed by a padlock are disadvantageous in a number of ways. A ring connected to the casket body and a ring connected to the cover have to be provided for holding the padlock; said rings are by necessity protruding, resulting in that the caskets cannot be jointed via their faces provided with said rings. Moreover, when the padlock is in position, by passing the shackle with which it is provided through said rings, a relative displacement, though limited, is still possible between the cover and the casket body: the padlock assembly is mobile relative to the casket; the padlock being, in a way, hung by its shackle.

The casket of the invention does away with such disadvantages. It is characterized in that the mechanism of the locking device comprises a padlock body house inside the casket.

The opening and closing of such a casket is carried out in the same way as if the casket was provided with a standard lock device and, moreover, one benefits from the inherent advantages of the padlocks, particularly their low cost.

The invention foresees the use of a padlock with a sliding shackle, of standard type, for forming a lock device, the opening of the padlock being carried out by introducing the key in a keyhole formed on the face of the padlock body opposite that of the shackle, thereby providing the opening of the casket.

The casket being open, the padlock remains incorporated to the casket and is not subject to be separated from the latter and lost.

Previously to the closing of the casket, there is no need for putting back the padlock in place. The fact of bringing the cover close to the body for bringing back the casket to its closed position allows the reintroduction of the shackle ends in the padlock body, and thereby the locking in the closed condition.

According to one embodiment, the padlock body is formed with a pin or latch, and the casket with an associated hole or catch and, when the casket is closed, by operating the key, the action of the spring which is incorporated in the padlock body displaces the latter and brings the latch out of its catch, thereby allowing opening the casket.

Advantageously, the frontal face of the padlock which is formed with the key opening is, in the closed condition, substantially co-planar with a face of the casket, resulting in that the latter has no protruding part when closed.

The invention foresees means for avoiding having to bring the padlock back to its housing as long as the cover has not been brought back to its closed position, thereby avoiding the necessity of using the padlock key for allowing again the locking when the cover is folded back onto the casket body.

An object of the invention is also an embodiment allowing using padlocks identical to those currently used for providing a closing by introducing the shackle into two eyelets in register of parts belonging to elements to be secured against motion one relative to the other, most often a bay leaf and frame, the cost of the assembly being thus particularly low.

This embodiment is characterized in that the padlock being housed in the cover, the relative displacement between the padlock and the shackle, when the padlock is being opened, is applied for disengaging the padlock body relative to an edge or similar which is part of the casket body, the cooperation of the padlock body and the edge providing, when the padlock is in the closed position, the immobilization of the cover relative to the casket body.

According to a further characteristic, it is foreseen that when the padlock is being opened, the shackle turns, due to a resilient force applied to it, about the axis of its leg which is opposite that used for locking the padlock, said rotation opposing thereafter the closing of the padlock as long as the casket cover is not brought to its closed position.

Thus, the manufacture of the lock device is made easy.

In the following description which is given by way of example, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a casket in its closed condition; Figure 2 is a top view of the casket body, with the cover removed; Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical crosssectional view of the upper portion of the casket, with the cover folded down and before the padlock has been put in position; Figure 4 is a sectional view along line IV--IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical crosssection view of the front upper portion of the casket in its closed condition; Figure 6 is a front view of an angle-iron forming the catch; Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 5, but after the casket cover has been unlocked relative to the casket body; Figure 8 is a front view of the upper portion of the casket;; Figure 9 is a detailed view, in vertical crosssection, showing the block where is formed the padlock housing; Figure 10 relates to a block depending from the cover and shown from its lower face; Figure 11 shows a blade; Figure 12 is a sectional view along line XII-XlI of Figure 5; Figure 1 3 is a sectional view along line XIII-- XIII of Figure 7; Figure 14 is a view of the lower face of the cover in the condition shown in Figure 15; Figure 1 5 is a sectional view along line XV XV of Figure 16 of the front portion of the casket at the beginnina of the opening of the cover; Figure 1 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment;; Figure 17 is a view of the cover from its lower face, the padlock being in its closed condition, for another embodiment; Figure 18 is a sectional view along line XVIII- XVIII of Figure 17, the padlock being supposed removed; Figure 19 is a perspective view of a padlock with a shackle; Figure 20 is a sectional view of the cover along line XX-XX of Figure 27; Figure 21 is a plan view of a portion of the cover as seen from its inner face; Figure 22 is an elevation view corresponding to Figure 21 along arrows XXII-XXII of the latter; Figure 23 is a vertical sectional view of the cover in its open condition relative to the casket body; Figure 24 is a sectional view of a portion of the cover; Figure 25 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the casket body;; Figure 26 is a vertical sectional view of the cover, the padlock being in its open condition; Figure 27 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the casket in its closed condition, substantially along line XXVlI-XXVlI of Figure 20, and Figure 28 is an elevation view of a casket, at a smaller scale, with the cover removed.

Reference is first made to Figure 1 to 16.

The casket 21 (Figure 1) has the general shape of a rectangle parallelepiped. It comprises a casket body 22, advantageously of a plastics material, in the shape of a parallelepipedal rectangle, with two large walls 23 and 24, two narrow walls 25 and 26, and a lower bottom 27, the opening 28 of the casket being opposite the bottom 27. On the upper portion of the wall 25, or back, of the casket is rotatally mounted about a hinge 29, a cover 31, advantageously made of a plastics material, with two long walls 32 and 33 prolongating, when the casket is closed, the large walls 23 and 24, two small walls 34 and 35 prolongating the walls 25 and 26 and an upper wall 36 opposite the cover opening 37.

From the frontal wall 26 of the casket body 22, opposite that carrying the hinge 29, and from the large walls 23 and 24, depends, at the upper portion, a platform 38 (Figure 2 and 3), the walls 23 and 24 of the casket body being prolonged, above said platform, by partition walls 39 and 41 (Figure 4) set back towards the inside, and thus providing shoulders 42 and 43. It is with said shoulders that the edges 44 and 45 of the long walls 32 and 33 of cover 31 cooperate, in the closed condition, the front edge47 of the cover -cooperating with the front margin 48 of the platform 38.

The horizontal lower edge 52 of the cover rear wall 34 cooperates also, when the cover is closed, with a shoulder 53 formed on the rear wall 25.

From the platform 38 and the walls 39 and 41 depends a cutout transverse partition wall 54, the cutout 55 of rectanglar shape being open at its upper portion and bounded by two vertical edges 56 and 57 and a horizontal lower edge 58.

From the upper wall 36 of cover 31 depend, towards the inside of casket, two longitudinal ribs 59 and 61 providing channels 62 and 63 with the walls 32 and 33 in which are housed, when the cover is being closed, the walls 39 and 41.

On the platform 38 is fixed a metallic catch device 66 (Figure 5) of general square shape, the horizontal leg 68 of which is used for the fixation by rivets 64 and 65 (Figure 12) on platform 38 and the vertical leg 69 of which (Figure 6), of general triangular shape, is formed adjacent its rounded apex 71 with an opening 72, or catch, the axis of which is substantially halFway up the cut-out 55.

As an alternative, the catch device is integrally molded with the casket body.

From the inner face 73 of the upper wall 36 of cover 31 depends, forwardly, a block 74 (Figure 9) of general parallelepipedal shape. Said block is formed with a through-going recess 75 (Figure 7), thus emerging at one end on the front face 70 of cover 31 and at the other end on the opposite face 76 of block 74. The recess is bounded by two opposite curved faces 77 and 78 (Figure 8 and 9), with concavities in register, and two vertical faces 79 and 91, the recess 75 being thus in a position to receive the padlock body the shape of which it reproduces. The lower wall 82 of the recess is bounded by a face 83 which is substantially parallel to face 78.

A further block 89 (Figure 7) depends from the inner face 73 of the upper wall 36 of cover 31. Its front face 91 is at a distance from the rearface 76 of block 74.

The block 89 is formed at its lower face with a cell 101 (Figure 10) bounded rearwardly by a semi-cylindrical surface 102 and upwardly by an upper bottom 103 where emerges a tapped recessed hole 104, the connection between the bottom 103 and the front face 91 being carried out by a slanting plane or fillet 105 on the central portion of said bottom bounded by two bearing areas 106 and 107.

On the bottom 103 of cell 101 of block 89 is laid a resilient flat blade 108 (Figure 1 1 ) the inner end of which is formed with a hole 109 which is in register with the hole 104 and against said blade is placed in abutment a tubular crosspiece 111 the channel 112 of which forms the continuation of holes 104 and 109 so as to allow the introduction of the threaded body 113 of a screw 114 having a head 115. Said screw bears via its head 1 5 on a metallic plate 116 of same outline as the general outline of block 89 and formed with a hole 11 7 for the passage of the body 113 of the screw 114.

A padlock 121 comprises a body 122 (Figure 1 2 to 1 5) similar to that of a standard padlock the shape of which is matching that of the recess or passage 75 in block 74. Its anterior frontal face 123 (Figure 8) is formed with the inlet for the key 124. From its posterior frontal face 130 protrudes a massive pin 125 (Figure 5) of circular crosssection, or latch, adapted for co-operating with the hole 72, or catch, of the leg 69 of angle iron 66.

The padlock 1 21 comprises a usual shackle 126, of general U shape, with two legs 127 and 128 connected by a curved bottom 129. The mechanism which is inside body 122 of the padlock comprises a spring 131 (Figure 13) urging the shackle 1 26 outwardly via its leg 1 27.

It comprises also a finger 132 with bevelled end 1 33 cooperating with a notch 1 34 formed in the leg 1 28 for keeping the padlock in its closed position, viz. with the shackle 126 rigidly connected to the padlock body 122 and in a position close to the latter. The opening of the padlock with the appropriate key 136 causes he retraction of finger 132 and the extension outwardly of the shackle 126 under the action of spring 121.

In Figure 5 and 12, the casket is shown in its closed condition. The cover 31 is folded back against the casket body 22, the edges 44 and 45 of the cover walls 32 and 33 are in engagement with the shoulders 42 and 43 of the casket body and the upper edges 39a and 41 a of the marginal portions of walls 39 and 41 are engaged into the channels 62 and 63 provided by the ribs 59 and 61 together with the cover walls 32 and 33.

The body 1 22 of padlock 121 is housed in the passage 75 the shape of which is matching that of block 74 of cover 31. The shackle 126, carried by the padlock body 122, is applied against the upper bottom 103 (of cell 101) of the second block 89 of the cover. It is in engagement via its outer face 141 with the semi-cylindrical surface 102 of said block. The central portion 142 of the inner surface 143 of the shackle is in engagement with the outer surface 144 of the tubular crosspiece 111. The padlock shackle 126 is thus secured against any movement, whatever its direction, relative to the cover, and the same applies to the padlock body 122.The latch 125, rigidly connected to body 122, is engaged into the hole, or catch, 72 formed in the angle iron 66 fixed on the platform 38 rigidly connected to the casket body 22, the cover 31 being thus completely secured against movement relative to the body.

The locking of the cover in its closed condition relative to the casket body is provided in the best conditions. Neither the body nor the casket cover have protrusions. Several closed caskets can be jointed to each other by any one of their faces.

For opening the casket, one needs only presenting the key 136 in front of the opening 1 24 formed in the frontal face 123 of the padlock body and to operate the key. The spring 131 of the padlock, which bears against one shoulder 140 formed on the leg 127 of shackle 126, pushes back the padlock body 122, and the pin or latch 125, which is rigidly connected to said body, extracts itself from the leg 69 of the angle iron 66 rigidly connected to the casket body (Figure 13).

Then, the cover 31 can be lifted (Figure 5) and the casket opened. In this condition, the padlock body 122 protrudes slightly relative to the anterior frontal face 70 of the cover. The blade 1 08 which, in the closed condition of the casket, was in the position shown in Figure 5, viz. deflected relative to its relaxed position and this due to the deflection action caused by the edge 71 of the leg 69 of the angle iron 66, has resumed, as soon as the casket is opened and under the effect of its own resiliency, its relaxed condition, viz. with its body 142' in the prolongation of its attachment 143.When the cover 31 is away from the casket body 22, it is not possible to bring the padlock back in a closed condition by applying a direct pushing action on the padlock body 122 on its frontal face 123: the cover being opened, the pin or latch 125 cooperates via its frontal face 1 25a with the edge 145 of the blade (Figure 5) and opposes any relative movement between the padlock body 122 and the shackle 126 and thus makes the closing of the padlock impossible. So, there is absolutely no need to reopen the padlock by operating it with the key for reclosing the casket.

For closing the casket, one needs only to fold the cover 31 back by rotating it about its hinge 29. When the cover 31 is completely folded back, the edge 71 of the leg 69 of the angle iron 66 has deflected the blade 108, so that it is enough to push the padlock back by applying a pressure on its frontal face 123 so that, by virtue of the shackle 126 bearing against the cylindrical surface 102 of the cell 101 of block 89, the padlock resumes its closing condition, by bringing the padlock body 122 close to its shackle 126, position in which the pin or latch 125 which the padlock body comprises is again introduced into the catch 72, thereby locking the cover in its closed position.

Reference is now made to Figure 1 6. In this embodiment, the upper face 201 of cover 202 is formed with a housing 403 of a padlock body 404 having a shackle, but deprived of said shackle. A screw 407 having a head 408 for the fixation of the padlock body which is formed with a corresponding tapped hole 409 extends across the bottom 405 of the housing 403 foreseen in the padlock body. The channel 411 foreseen for receiving a finger 412 of the padlock, with a bevelled end, and the movement of which is controlled by the padlock key, emerges into a hole 413 drilled in the padlock body and which may be that foreseen for receiving one of the shackle legs.

The casket body 415 comprises a platform 416 on which is fixed, via a screw 417, a plaquette 418 carrying a spindle 419 formed with a notch 421.

The condition shown in Figure 1 6 is that corresponding to the closing of the casket. The cover is in its folded back position and the spindle 419 with the notch 421 is inside the hole 413. It is kept in this position by the action of the sliding finger 412 of the padlock. It is impossible to lift the cover, that is to open the casket, since the finger 412 comes in abutment against one edge of the notch 421.

On the other hand, if by introducing the padlock key into the key hole and by rotating it one opens the padlock, the finger 412 retracts and the spindle 419 cannot pass in front of the opening of the hole 413 which permits the opening of the casket by lifting the cover.

The closing of the casket is provided by folding back the cover 202 against the casket body: the spindle 41 9 drives into the hole 413; the finger 412 is pushed back by the action of the conical end formed on the spindle 419. When the finger 412 comes opposite the notch 421, it drives into it via its bevelled end and the opening of the casket by lifting its cover is then made possible.

Reference is now made to Figure 17 to 28 which relate to another embodiment.

From the inner face 201 of cover 202, the shape of which is that of a parallelepipedal rectangle (Figure 17), depend, integrally molded with the cover, a first block 203 and a second block 204.

The first block 203 comprises two parallel uprights 205 and 206 (Figure 18). The lower portions (when the cover is locked at along the cross-section shown by the arrows XVllI-XVIIl of Figure 17) of the two uprights, respectively 207 and 208, are in the shape of an angle iron, viz. the portions 209 and 210 which are perpendicular to the inner face 201 extend into legs 212 and 213 which are perpendicular to portions 209 and 210.

The upper portions 214 and 215 of the uprights 205 and 206 are bridged by an arch 216, the shape of which is matching that of the curved face 217 or 218 of body 219 (Figure 19) of a padlock with a shackle 221. The interval between the inner face 222 of the arch 216 and the inner faces 223 and 224 of the edges 212 and 213 is such that when the padlock body 219 bears via one of its curved faces, for example face 218, on the inner faces 223 and 224, it can slide in the longitudinal direction, that is parallel to the narrow plane faces 225 and 226 of the padlock, by being guided through the cooperation of its other curved face 21 7 with the inner face 222 of the arch 216, the median portion 227 of the curved face 218 of the padlock remaining at a distance from the plane inner face 201 of cover 202.

From face 231 of body 219 of padlock 221 which is opposite the face 232 where the key is introduced, protrudes the shackle 233 which comprises a leg 234 upon which is applied the strength of a spring 235, mounted inside the padlock (Figure 20), urging the shackle 233 in order to move its curved portion 236 away from the face 231 of the padlock body, the opposite end of the other leg 237 of the shackle, formed with a notch 238, being, when the shackle is being moved away, distant from the face 231 (Figure 23).

In the contracted position, corresponding to the closing of the padlock, the hook 238 on the contrary is inside the hole 239 drilled into the padlock body and kept immobilized, in a known manner, by a stem 241 subjected to the action of an inner spring (not shown) and the retraction of which, for opening the padlock, is caused by the introduction of the key in the key hole 242 formed on the face 232.

The second block 204, of general parallelepipedal shape, is bounded by two parallel longitudinal faces 243, 244 (Figure 21) and a posterior transverse face 245. It is formed on its face 246, which is parallel to the inner face 201 of the cover, with a recess 248 which is bounded by a substantially semi-cylindrical surface 248 connected to the anterior face 249 parallel to face 245. The face 249 has thus two end pillars 251 and 252 (Figure 22) and portions of lesser height 253 and 254. The latter encompass a slanting face 255 connected to face 201 via a curved indentation 256 slightly slanting. On the bottom 257 of the recess 247 emerge two holes, respectively a central hole 258 provided with a tapped jacket 259 (Figure 23), and a side hole 261 containing a small helical spring 262 which bears against the bottom 263 of said hole (Figure 24).

A screw 264 (Figure 23) cooperates with the tapped jacket 259 and its head 265 keeps a washer 266, of larger diameter, bearingagainst a small tubular cross-piece 267 the other end of which cooperates with the bottom 257, so that the inner face 268 of the washer 266 is at a distance on the bottom 257 which is larger than the diameter of the stem constituent of the shackle 233.

From the anterior wall 271 (Figure 25) and the side wails 272 and 273 of the casket body 174 depends a platform 1 75 the front edge 276 of which forms the upper edge of the front wall 271 of the casket body.

On the other hand, the side walls 272 and 273 extend beyond the level of plafform 275 via partition walls 277 and 278 respectively, the inner faces 279 and 281 of which continue the inner faces of walls 272 and 273, while the outer faces 282 and 283 provide shoulders 284 and 285 in the prolongation of platform 275, the partition walls 277 and 278 being thinner than the side walls 272 and 273.

The side partition walls 277 and 278 are connected to two perpendicular uprights 286 and 287 the inner edges 288 and 289 of which are in register and define a crenel 291. Each upright 286 or 287 has an outer portion 292, 293, of rectangular cross-section, while the inner portions 294 and 295 have slanting inner faces forming a bevel 296.

In the crenel 291 is housed the leg 297 of an angle iron 298 the other leg 299 of which is fixed on the platform 275 by eyelets 301 and 302. The leg 297 is cut out so as to form a central portion 303 extending into a perpendicular edge 304 turned towards the outside. The central portion 303 provides with the edges 288 and 289 indentations 331 and 332.

The closing condition is that shown in Figure 20 and 27.

In this condition, the padlock body 21 9 is in its retracted position, viz. its inlet face 232 is coplanar with the outer anterior face 311 of the cover 202 or even slightly set back relative to the latter. The shackle 233 is rigidly connected to the padlock body 21 9,'the leg 217 being kept by the stem 241 the bevelled end of which cooperates with the notch 238 of the leg. The medium plane of shackle 233 is parallel to the medium plane of the padlock body 21 9. The latter is completely secured against movement. Its body 219 is housed between the curved face 222 of the arch 216 and the curved walls 223 and 224 of block 203.The curved portion 236 of shackle 233, rigidly connected to the body of padlock 219, is retained against a driving-in movement of the padlock by the cooperation with the semicylindrical wall 248 of block 204, and as regards a reverse movement, by the abutment of said curved portion 236 against the tubular crosspiece 267. In this condition, the body 219 of the padlock is engaged under the edge 304 of the angle iron 298 fixed on the casket body 274, preventing any movement away from the anterior edge 31 5 of the cover 202 relative to the casket body 274, by rotating about the mounting hinge 314 of the cover.

For allowing opening the casket, by rotation of the cover 202 by its mounting hinge 314 about the body 274, one needs only to introduce the key corresponding to the padlock in the key hole formed on the face 232 of the latter. Due to this introduction, the bevelled end 242 retracts in front of notch 238; under the action of the spring 235 which is inside the padlock body, said body slides in its housing, the bearing being applied by the cooperation of the curved portion 236 of the shackle 233 with the semi-cylindrical surface 247 of block 264 and the movement being guided by the cooperation of the curved face 21 7 of the padlock body 219 with the curved surface 222 of the arch 116 on the one hand, and of the curved face 218 of the padlock body with the inner faces 223 and 224 on the other hand.The padlock body 21 9 protrudes slightly relative to the anterior outer face 311 of the cover 202. By virtue of this movement, the curved face 218 of the padlock body passes in front of the edge 304 until it escapes the limit 312 of edge 304. Then it is possible to open the cover by simply lifting it (Figure 23).

The padlock key can be extracted from the padlock body.

When opening the padlock, as soon as the end of the leg 287 of shackle 233 escapes the hole 239 drilled in the padlock body, the shackle 233 turns about the axis 241 of leg 234 under the action of spring 262 which acts on leg 237.

This rotation is made possible by the slight clearance which is purposely provided between the curved portion 236 of the shackle 233 and the retaining opposite faces, viz. the bottom 247 of block 204 and the faces in register 268 of washer 266.

As is the case for all shackled padlocks of this type, the closing of the padlock is carried out by simply bringing the padlock body 21 9 and the curved portion 236 of shackle 233 close to each other. But as long as the cover is open, the closing of the padlock (Figure 26) is impossible; when a pressure is exerted on the padlock body on its face 232 where the key is introduced, the opposite frontal face 322 of the padlock body 219 comes close to the curved portion 236, but the end 321 of the leg 237 cannot drive into the hole 239 of said body (Figure 23).

For closing the casket, one needs only to turn the cover 202 about its mounting hinge 314.

When the cover movement is completed, that is when the edge 315 of the cover is in engagement with the platform 275 and the prolongations 284 and 285 of the latter, the edge 304 of the leg of the angle iron 297 engages the leg 237 of the shackle 233 and brings back the end 321 formed with the notch 238 of the latter opposite the hole 239, and this against the action of spring 262.

One needs then only to push with the hand the padlock portion which is protruding relative to the anterior face 311 of the cover 202 for providing the locking, the legs 234 and 237 of shackle 233 penetrating back into the holes 324 and 239 until the locking hooking is carried out by the bevelled end of the stem 241 mounted inside the padlock body.

The partition walls 277 and 278 of the casket body engage themselves, when the cover is closed, between the walls 325 and 326 of the latter, and the ribs 327 and 328 depending from the upper wall of the cover.

The positioning of the padlock in the cover is carried out without difficulty by introducing the shackled padlock in the passage limited by the curved face 222 and the curved faces 223 and 224 in register of the cover anterior wall 311, and by pushing back the padlock until the curved portion 236 of the shackle 233 comes in engagement with the semi-cylindrical surface 248 of block 204, the device comprising the screw 264, the washer 266, and the tubular cross-piece 267 not being mounted.

For maintaining the padlock, one needs only to mount said device by introducing the threaded portion of the screw 264 into the tapped jacket 259 of the hole 258.

The padlock shackle 233 is then housed by its legs 234 and 237 into the indentations 331 and 332.

Claims (28)

Claims

1. A casket comprising a casket body and a closing cover, as well as a locking device for controlling the opening of the casket by displacing the cover relative to the casket body, wherein the locking device is a shackle and key padlock received in a housing of the casket, and wherein the face of the casket where is formed the key hole is accessible from the outside of the casket.

2. A casket according to claim 1, wherein the relative movement of the padlock body and the shackle, when opening or closing the padlock, is taken to advantage for rigidly connecting, or disconnecting, the casket cover from its body.

3. A casket according to claim 2, wherein the housing provided for the padlock maintains said padlock in all directions except that corresponding to the relative movement of the padlock body and of the padlock shackle.

4. A casket according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the padlock body is formed, on its face opposite that on which is provided the key hole, with a pin or latch rigidly connected to said body, adapted for cooperating with a catch rigidly connected to the casket portion, body or cover, which does not house the padlock.

5. A casket according to claim 2, wherein, in its closed condition, the face of the padlock body provided with the key hole is substantially coplanar with one face of the casket.

6. A casket according to claim 3, wherein the upper wail of the cover comprises a housing for the padlock shackle.

7. A casket according to claim 6, wherein the housing for the padlock shackle is bounded on the one hand by an indentation of said upper wall of the cover, and on the other hand by a plaquette removably mounted.

8. A casket according to claim 7, wherein a tubular cross-piece defines with the indentation a passage corresponding to the diameter of the transverse section of the shackle.

9. A casket according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a means for opposing, except when in the closed condition of the casket, the closing of the padlock due to its body being brought close to its shackle,

10. A casket according to claims 6 and 9, wherein said means comprises a resilient blade and, when the casket is being closed, a member rigidly connected to the casket body deflects the resilient blade for allowing said movement of the body coming close to the shackle.

11. A padlock which is part of a device according to any one of claims 2 to 10.

12. A padlock characterized in that it comprises a pin which is rigidly connected to its body on its face opposite to that where the key is introduced.

1 3. A casket according to claim 1, wherein one of its portions, cover or body, comprises a housing for the padlock body, and the other portion comprises a stem formed with a notch adapted for cooperating with the padlock body with a view to locking the casket.

14. A casket according to claim 13, wherein the fixation of the padlock body in its housing is provided by a member cooperating with a hole formed in the padlock body and foreseen usually for receiving a sliding leg of the padlock shackle.

1 5. A casket according to claim 13, wherein means are provided for entrapping the padlock body in its housing.

1 6. A casket comprising a casket body with an access opening and a cover movable relative to the casket body to a position closing said opening, with a lock device for locking the cover in its closing position, wherein the lock device comprises a shackled padlock mounted in the casket so as to authorize the relative displacement of the padlock body and of the shackle for the passage from the locked condition to the unlocked condition, and vice versa, to which correspond respectively the closing condition and the opening condition of the lock device, and wherein the padlock is carried by the cover, its body cooperating with the casket body for maintaining the cover in the closing condition when the padlock is in its locking condition.

1 7. A casket according to claim 16, where the cover is mounted on a hinge on the casket body and the padlock is housed in the cover at the end opposite the hinge, wherein the shackle bears against a rib of the padlock at its curved end opposite the entries of the shackle legs into the padlock body, and the spring mounted inside the padlock body is used for retracting the latter relative to a lug rigidly connected to the casket body and preventing the opening of the cover by cooperating with the padlock body when the latter is in its closing position.

1 8. A casket according to claim 17, wherein the lug forms the edge of an angle iron fixed on a platform of the casket body, somewhat set back relative to the anterior face of the latter, so that the anterior face of the cover forms the prolongation of the anterior face of the casket body.

1 9. A casket according to claim 18, wherein the platform has side prolongations for cooperating with the cup-shaped side edges.

20. A casket according to claim 18, wherein the leg of the angle iron comprising the edge is encompassed by crenels for the passage of the legs of the padlock shackle.

21. A casket comprising a casket body having an access opening inside the casket and a cover movable relative to the casket body to a closing position of said opening, with a lock device for locking the cover in its closing position, the lock device comprising a shackled padlock mounted so as to provide the relative displacement of the body and of the shackle for the passage from the locking condition to the unlocking condition, and vice versa, to which correspond respectively the closing condition and the opening condition of the lock device of the padlock, wherein means are provided for displacing, when opening the padlock, the hooking end of the shackle into the padlock body relative to its introduction hole into said body.

22. A casket according to claim 21, wherein said means consist in a spring housed into a hole drilled in a clock of the cover foreseen for the support of the shackle.

23. A casket according to claim 22, wherein the casket body comprises means such that in the closing condition of the cover, the end of the hooked leg comes opposite the introduction hole foreseen in the padlock body.

24. A casket according to claim 22, wherein the support block for the shackle is formed with a tapped hole for mounting a screw carrying a washer adapted for maintaining the shackle on its face opposite to that which bears against the block.

25. A casket according to claim 24, wherein the screw body is threaded into a tubular crosspiece maintaining the washer at a distance sufficient from the support face against the block for allowing the deflection of the shackle.

26. A casket with a body and cover, comprising a lock device of the padlock type, characterized in that it comprises means for immobilizing the padlock body or the shackle relative to the casket.

27. The use of a retractable shackled padlock with a key for the removable connection of two portions of a casket mounted onto each other via an articulation.

28. The use of a pivoting shackled padlock for maintaining in the opening position the two portions of a casket, the closing device of which comprises such a padlock.