GB2298447A

GB2298447A - Locking mechanism employing a padlock device

Info

Publication number: GB2298447A
Application number: GB9504131A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Fillingham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-03-01
Filing date: 1995-03-01
Publication date: 1996-09-04
Also published as: GB9504131D0

Abstract

A locking mechanism comprises an anchor member 13 displaceable between the extended position shown in Figure 1 in which its groove 13g is accessible for locking engagement by the hasp 20 of the padlock device 19 shown in Figure 5, and a retracted position within a tubular member 11 in a fixed member F so that the anchor member 13 cannot be engaged by the padlock device 19. The fixed member F may be a concrete floor, and the anchor member 13 may be passed through a hole in the lower edge of a roller shutter before the padlock hasp 20 is locked to it. The anchor member 13 is biassed by a spring 15 against a stop 14, and may be retracted by pushing it into the tubular member 11 and rotating it by means of a protrusion 13k so that the stop 14 engages groove 13e. The padlock device 19 is secured within a housing 23 by end plate 29 or by grub screw 32, and is operated by a key 21 and an element 31.

Description

LOCKING MECHANISM This invention relates to locking mechanisms and, more particularly, to a method and arrangement for applying a locking mechanism to an anchor element.

According to the present invention there is provided a locking mechanism comprising a padlock device engageable with a displaceable anchor member, said anchor member having two positions, one position in which the padlock device can engage with the anchor member and another position in which the padlock device cannot be engaged with the anchor member.

Preferably the anchor member is located in a fixed element and is displaceable relative thereto between a first position, wherein the anchor member cannot be engaged by the padlock device, and a second position where the anchor member is presented for engagement with the padlock device.

In a preferred embodiment the fixed element has a permanently fixed location, as by example being concreted into a flooring, and the anchor member is displaceable relative to the fixed element between said first and second position.

In one embodiment the anchor member is of generally cylindrical form and the fixed element defines a cylindrical bore into which the anchor member is slidably engaged.

Preferably, when in said first position, said anchor member is totally within said cylindrical bore, whereupon the top surface of the anchor member is substantially in the plane of the entry to said bore. Thus, when in said first position, the anchor member offers no obstruction to a normal use of the floor.

Preferably the anchor member defines an axially extending undercut mid-region and a restraining element, presented by said fixed element, is engaged in said undercut mid-region to limit the axial displacement of the said anchor member within the fixed element from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position when the padlock device is disengaged from the anchor member.

Preferably, said anchor member presents an annular recess adjacent its outer end region and into which annular recess the padlock hasp is engageable when the padlock device is engaged with said anchor member.

In a preferred embodiment the padlock device comprises a padlock having one limb of the padlock hasp permanently attached to the padlock housing, but in another embodiment both limbs of the padlock hasp are disengagable from the padlock housing.

In one embodiment said padlock device includes a locking mechanism within the padlock housing, the locking mechanism is openable by a key and the keyway for cooperating with the key opens at that end of the padlock device remote from the padlock hasp.

Preferably the padlock device is housed in a protective housing, designed to prevent the padlock hasp being cut or sawn to afford unauthorised access.

In a preferred embodiment the said protective housing is conveniently constructed from a resistant metal, such as stainless steel, and surrounds all four sides of the padlock device and is closed at one end. The padlock device is inserted into the protective housing, with the padlock hasp leading, and the padlock device is fully inserted into the protective housing so that the keyway for the padlock device is exposed through the open end of the said protective housing.

Preferably the housing for the padlock device is retained in the protective housing by a securing mechanism, such as by a grub screw which passes through a side wall of the protective housing for the padlock device.

Preferably the recess for the padlock device defined by the protective housing is of such length that, when the padlock device is engaged by the securing mechanism, the padlock hasp is free to displace between its fully opened and closed, positions without displacement of the padlock housing within the protective housing.

Preferably the said protective housing for the padlock device includes an aperture in one of the two sides of the said protective housing parallel to the major plane of the padlock device and said aperture is so located that the anchor member can enter therethrough and into the interior of the protective housing to allow the padlock hasp to engage said anchor member.

In one embodiment in accordance with the invention the anchor member is spring loaded towards its second position.

In a preferred embodiment the open end of the recess in the protective housing is partially closed by a plate element and the padlock housing is spring loaded towards its inmost position within the protective housing.

Preferably the protective housing includes a displaceable element, the inner end of which is engageable with the hasp of the padlock device and serves to force the hasp of the padlock into locking engagement with the padlock housing.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompany drawings in which: Fig 1 is a side view, partially in cross-section, of an anchor member located in a fixed element.

Fig 2 is a cross-section through a lockable member and a padlock device for engagement with the anchor element, with the padlock device shown in cross-section on the line II-II of Fig 5.

Fig 3 is a top view of the anchor member.

Fig 4 is a cross-section through the anchor element on the line 111-111 in Fig 1, and Fig 5 is a plan view of the locking mechanism, partially in cross-section on the line IV-IV in Fig 2.

In the illustrated example a fixed element comprises a tubular member 11, which is permanently set in the floor F, and has its upper end lla open and in the plane of the floor F and its lower end 11 closed by an anchoring disc 12.

An anchor member 13 is slidably located in the tubular member 11 and comprises, from its lowermost regions, (i) a disc element 13a, which is a sliding fit in the tubing 11, (ii) a cylindrical element 13b of reduced diameter relative to 13v, (iii) a mid-region section 13c. substantially of a diameter which is slidable within the tubular member 11 but which has a flat, defined by a surface 13A, machined on one face substantially down to the diameter of the element 13k, (iv) a reduced diameter element 13e, substantially of the same diameter as the element 13b, (v) a cylindrical element 13f, substantially of the diameter of the element 13a, (vi) a circumferential recess 13g, (vii) a top 13h. which substantially has the same diameter as the parts 13f and 13a, but with two parallel flats 13i and 13i machined thereon, and (viii) an upstanding protrusion 13k on the top end of the part 13h in its mid-regions between the flats 13i and 13.

When located within the tubular member 11 a restraining element 14, secured to the tubular member 11, protrudes into the bore of tubular member 11 and is located above the element 13a, and is engageable with the element 13a when the anchor member is in its second position and upstanding above the floor F. The restraining member 14 protrudes into the bore of tubular member 11 to such an extent that it lies clear of the centre regions of the surface defining flat 13~ and allows the anchor member 13 to be axially displaced from its second position to its first position, totally within the tubular member 11.The downward displacement of the anchor member 13 in the first position, that is totally within the tubing 11, is thus limited by the restraining member 14 engaging the flange between the elements 13e and 13f of the anchor member 13.

In the illustrated embodiment the anchor member 13 is continuously urged towards its protruding second position from the tubing 11 by a coil spring 15, acting between the disc 12 and the lower end of the disc element 13a of the anchor member 13.

As stated hereinbefore the elements 13b and 13e are of cylindrical form and, when the restraining member 14 is aligned with either of the elements 13b or 13g, the anchor member 13 may be partially rotated and will, thereby, be retained axially in accordance with whichever of the elements 13~ or 13e is aligned with the restraining member 14.

When the lockable article comprising a shutter door S with an angle iron 16 along its lower edge, the tubular member 11 is so located on the floor F as to be axially aligned with an aperture 16a in the angle iron 16 so that, when the shutter door S is lowered and the anchor member 13 is in its uppermost position with the restrain 14 engaged with the element 13a, the upper regions of the anchor member 13 pass through the aperture 16a and protrude upwardly therefrom.

With the anchor member 13 in such position a padlock device 17 can be locked onto the recess 13g.

The padlock device 17 conveniently comprise a conventional padlock, comprising a locking mechanism 18 within the padlock housing 19 and a padlock hasp 20, of U-shaped configuration, and the free ends (only the free end 20a is illustrated) of which are enterable into the padlock housing 19 for locking and unlocking therein by a key 21 engageable in a keyway 22 in the regions of the padlock housing remote from the hasp 20.

The padlock device 17 is contained in a protective housing 23 comprising four side walls 24, 25, 26 and 27 which surround the padlock device 17 and which is closed at one end by an arcuate wall 28.

The padlock device 17 is assembled with the protective housing 23 by inserting the padlock device 17 into the recess 23, with the padlock hasp 20 leading, until the padlock device 17 is totally within the protective housing 23. The open end of the recess 23g may then be closed by a plate 29, screwed or otherwise fixed to the protective housing 23. The plate 29 may include a protrusion 29a, which is fitted to be inserted into the open end of the recess, and the protrusion 29a includes two bores (only one of which 29k is shown), which each contain a coiled compression spring, such as the spring 30, which act against the underside of the padlock housing 19 to urge said padlock housing 19 into the recess. The padlock housing 19 is prevented from entering too far into the recess by engagement with the element 13f.

The housing has such length, to the left of the device as shown in Fig 5, that the hasp 20 of the padlock can be unlocked and can displace within the protective housing 23, without the free ends of 20a the hasp 20 losing contact with the padlock housing 19.

With the above arrangement, and with the roller doors open, the anchor member 13 is rotated until the restraining element 14 is aligned with the central regions of the flat 134, the anchor device 13 is then depressed until the restraining member 14 engages the radial surface between elements 13e and 13t, and the anchor member 13 is then rotated, by hand, until the restraining member 14 is in engagement with the radial flange between the elements 13f and 13e, whereupon the anchor element 13 can be released and would be locked in its lowermost position, with the top surface of the element 13h substantially in the plane of the floor F.

When the device is to be brought into use the element 13 is rotated, by hand, using the protrusion 13k, until the restraining member 14 lies substantially in the plane passing centrally through the flat 13d and, with the anchor member 13 released, the anchor member 13 will rise within the tubing 11, under the action of spring 15, until said member 14 engages the radial flange between the elements 13a and 13k. In this position the anchor member 13 is protruding upwardly from the floor F.

The anchor member 13 may be left in this position, or rotated, so that the restraining member 14 lies between the radial face between the elements 13a and 13k and the radial face between the elements 13b and 13c, in which case the anchor member 13 is locked in its uppermost position.

The roller door S in then lowered until the anchor member 13 enters through the aperture 16a and, with the angle iron flange 16 resting on the floor F, and with the padlock hasp 20 generally released, by use of the key 21, the protective housing 23 can be applied to the anchor member 13 so that the anchor member 13 enters through an aperture 23a in the protective housing and the hasp 20 can be closed to engage in the recess 13a to lock the protective housing 23 with the anchor member 13.

To assist in closing the hasp 20 the protective housing 23 includes an element 31 which passes through the arcuate wall 28 and has its inner end 31a engaged with the hasp 20 and its outer end 31k extending from the protective housing 23, so that by pressing the external end 31b of the element 30 the hasp 20 is pushed into locking engagement with the padlock housing 19.

With the protective housing 23 so engaged with the anchor member 13 it is extremely difficult for any unauthorised party to open the shutter door S.

It should be noted that, with the flats 13i and 13i correctly aligned with the hasp 20, the passage of the element 13h through the hasp 20 is greatly facilitated.

To release the protective housing 23 from the anchor member 13 it is only necessary to rotate the key 21 to release the hasp 20 and the protective housing 23 can be readily removed from the anchor member 13 to allow the roller door 16 to be elevated.

When the protective housing 23 does not have the plate 29 with the protrusion 23a fitted the protective housing 29 includes an alternative securing means, for example the grub screw 32 for securing the padlock housing 19 with the protective housing 23.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism comprising a padlock device engageable with a displaceable anchor member, said anchor member having two positions, one position in which the padlock device can engage with the anchor member and another position in which the padlock device cannot be engaged with the anchor member.

2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the anchor member is located in a fixed element and is displaceable relative thereto between a first position in which the anchor member cannot be engaged by the padlock device, and a second position in which the anchor member is presented for engagement with the padlock device.

3. A locking mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the fixed element has a permanently fixed location and the anchor member is displaceable relative to the fixed element between said first and second positions.

4. A locking mechanism according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the anchor member is of generally cylindrical form and the fixed element defines a substantially cylindrical bore into which the anchor member is slidably engaged.

5. A locking mechanism according to claim 4, wherein when in said first position, said anchor member is totally within said substantially cylindrical bore and a top surface of the anchor member is substantially in the plane of entry to said bore.

6. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the anchor member defines an axially extending undercut mid-region and a restraining element, presented by said fixed element, is engaged in said undercut mid-region to limit the axial displacement of the anchor member within the fixed element from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position when the padlock device is disengaged from the anchor member.

7. A locking mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said anchor member presents an annular recess adjacent its outer end region and into which annular recess a hasp of the padlock device is engageable when the padlock device is engaged with the anchor member.

8. A locking mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the padlock device comprises a padlock having one limb of a padlock hasp permanently attached to a padlock housing.

9. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein both limbs of a hasp of the padlock device are disengageable from a padlock housing.

10. A locking mechanism according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the padlock device includes a locking means within the padlock housing, the locking means openable by a key and a keyway for co-operating with a key opens at that end of the padlock device remote from the padlock hasp.

11. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the padlock device is housed in use in a protective housing.

12. A locking mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the protective housing is constructed from a resistant metal and surrounds all four sides of the padlock device and is closed at one end.

13. A locking mechanism according to claim 11, wherein said resistant metal is stainless steel.

14. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the padlock device in use is inserted into the protective housing1 with the padlock hasp leading, and the padlock device is fully inserted into the protective housing so that the keyway for the padlock device is exposed through the open end of said protective housing.

15. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the housing for the padlock device is retained in the protective housing by a securing mechanism.

16. A locking mechanism according to claim 15, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a grub screw which passes through a side wall of the protective housing for the padlock device.

17. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein the recess for the padlock device defined by the protective housing is of such length that, when the padlock device is engaged by the securing mechanism, the padlock hasp is free to displace between its fully opened and closed positions without displacement of the padlock housing within the protective housing.

18. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein the protective housing for the padlock device includes an aperture in one of the two sides of the protective housing parallel to the major plane of the padlock device, and said aperture is so located that the anchor member can enter therethrough and into the interior of the protective housing to allow the padlock hasp to engage said anchor member.

19. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein the open end of the recess in the protective housing is partially closed by a plate element and a padlock housing is spring loaded towards its innermost position within the protective housing.

20. A locking mechanism according to any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein the protective housing includes a displaceable element, the inner end of which is engageable with the hasp of the padlock device and so sets forth the hasp of the padlock into locking engagement with the padlock housing.

21. A locking member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the anchor member is spring loaded towards its second position.

22. A locking mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings.