US1326037A

US1326037A - And john h

Info

Publication number: US1326037A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1936-12-23

Description

W. W. DUNN AND J. H. BEASLEY.

WARDROBE TRUNK LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED A.UG.27. 1919.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. W. DUNN AND J. H. BEASLEY.

WARDROBE'TRUNK LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27 I919- 1,326,037. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIAM w. DUNN, or HENDERSON, NORTH CAROLINA, AND JOHN H. BEASLEY, or NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOBS T0 snwnnn TRUNK AND BAG coMrANY; or PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATIONOIE VIRGINIA.

WARDROBE-TEUN K LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23,1919.

Application filed August 27, 19-19. SerialNo. 320,279.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, W LLIAM W. DUNN and JOHN H. BnAsLnY, citizens of the United States, residing at Henderson and Norfolk, respectively, in the counties of Vance and Norfolk, respectively, and States of :North Carolina'and Virginia, respectively, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Wardrobe-Trunk Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relatesto wardrobe trunks, and particularly to the locking mechanism thereof. 7

l/Vardrobe trunks are made in two main sections which are hinged to each other-so that when the trunk is set up on end, the two sections maybe opened relative to each other to form a wardrobe, and one of these sections is usually arranged-with a plurality of drawers or like receptacles, while the other section carries the hangers for supporting clothes. These sections have been locked to each other usually by a plurality of locks, and generally by two locks which work codrdinately so that the unlocking of one look will simultaneously release the other locking 0r latching device, these other auxiliary looking or latching devices being reengaged, when the'sections are-againbrought together, by a reverse movement of the main locking devices. These locking devices have generally required that one of thesections be provided with outwardly projecting keepers adapted to be engaged-by a locking rod on the other section. These keepers,

, projecting as they do beyond the edge of the section to which they are attached, are

very liable to catch on clothes and are otherwise awkward, inconvenient and detract from the appearance of the trunk when it isopened. In one type of trunk of this character-,1 furthermore, the locking bar which engages the two sections of the trunk wit each other is operated by means ofa pull rod located on the inside of the trunk,,andj a third section or top is hinaedto one of the main sections of the'trunk and provided with a lockiand this look: must be opened and this section raised before the body of thetrunk can be unlocked; The general object of our invention is to improve upon the locking device of trunks of this character by providing a locking de:

vice which has no projecting parts which will in any way tend to damage or tear clothes disposed within the trunk, or which will project from the edge of the trunk section so as to impede the removal of clothes therefrom, or be liable to catch on clothes of the user of the trunk.

And a further object is to provide a construction of this character wherein the looking elements may be disposed on either sectionof the trunk, that is wherein the looking elements may be reversed with relation to the two sections of the trunk.

Still'another object is to provide a construction of this character wherein a main locking device is provided at one end of the trunk, an auxiliary locking device at the other end of the trunk, and wherein an unlocking of the main locking device and a shifting movement thereof to an inoperative position will cause the release of the auxiliary locking devices. And a further object in this connection is to provide means for causing both the main and auxiliary locking and latching devices to return to their operative positions automatically so that these devices are in position for locking and so that the auxiliary latching device may be engaged with a keeper orhasp on the other section of the trunk upon a mere closing of the trunk sections and hasp and without the necessity of locking the main locking devices.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will appear more fully hereafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accomp anying drawings, 2 wherein Figure l is a front elevation of a trunk constructed in accordance with our invenn;

Fig 2 is a vertical transverse sectionalview looking from the back of the trunk toward the front thereof;

'Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the front of the trunk showing in elevation the socket for the lower hasp;

Fig. 4C is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower locking device orlatch and its operating means; 1

Fig. 5 is a sectional. view on the line 5-5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a section on] the line 6-6 of Fig 1;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 2.

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that the trunk as illustrated consists of the two main sections A and B which, as usual, are hinged to each other for movement toward and from each other, and hinged to the section A is a cover section C which, when the two main sections are closed, is held from any opening movement. All of these parts are of any ordinary and suitable construction and form no part of our invention, and it is obvious that the trunk may be constructed in any suitable manner and may have any desired form and details.

Adjacent what is ordinarily the lower end of the trunk when the trunk is vertical, is a lock comprising a hasp 10 which has a head adapted to fit within the socket 11 attached to the section A, this hasp 10 being hinged to a leaf or plate 12, at 13, which is pivotally mounted for rotary movement upon a rivet or equivalent element 14: passing through the wall of section B, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The head of the hasp 10 carries a keeper 15 which, when the hasp 10 is closed, projects through a slot 16 in the socket 11 and is adapted to receive a latch bolt. Disposed within the socket 11 is a bifurcated spring 17 which resists the inward movement of the head of hasp 10, and when the locking bolt is released from the keeper 15, this spring throws the head of the hasp 10 outward. Also acting to throw out the hasp is a spring leaf 18 which is mounted at its inner end against the veneer b of the section B and through which the rivet 1 1 or like element passes. This spring 18 at its end is outwardly deflected, and as before remarked, tends to throw the hinged hasp 1O outward when the keeper is released by the latch.

For the purpose of holding the upper portion of the trunk closed, we provide a looking device consisting of a leaf 19 which is rotatably mounted upon the veneer a of the 1 section A by means of a short, inwardly projecting stud or like element 20, and hinged to this leaf or plate 19 is the hasp 21 which engages in a socket 22 of ordinary form, this leaf 21 being provided w ith an ordinary lock 23 whereby this hasp 21 may be locked to the socket. o do not wish to be limited to the particular form of lock and we have only illustrated this conventionally in Fig. 5. Any suitable locking means maybe employed.

On the inner end of the shaft or stud 20 is mounted a disk 21- which rotates with this shaft or stud and carried by the disk is a wrist pin 25. Attached to this wrist pin is a longitudinally extending connecting element 26 mounted upon the inner face of section A. Just above the socket 11 is a bolt casing 27 having therein the vertically reciprocatable bolt 28. The lower end of this bolt is beveled and when projected engages in or through the keeper 15. This bolt is longitudinally slotted and within this slot is disposed a compression spring 29. which engages at its lower end against the end wall of the slot and at its other end ongages with a lug or shoulder 30 formed upon the bolt casing. It will be obvious, therefore, that the bolt is constantly urged to a projected position. The upper end of the bolt is provided with an eye which is connected by a link 31 to the connecting element 26. The element 26 is shown as in the form of a rod or bar but we do not wish to be limited to this, and it is further shown as being guided by the two guides 32 and 83 which are in the form of hooks attached to the inner face of section A, these hooks having their ends extending over the connecting rod 26. The hooks are disposed at suflicient distance from each other as to permit a slight lateral movement of the connecting rod 26.

It will be obvious now, assuming that the trunk be looked, that the trunk may be unlocked by unlocking the hasp 21 from its engagement with the socket 22, and then using said hasp 21 as a handle to rotate the disk 24:, thus the hasp 21 will be shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This will cause a retraction of theconnecting rod 26 and of the bolt 28 against the action of spring 29. Thus, the bolt will release its engagement with the keeper 15 and immediately upon this release, the springs 17 and 18 will throw the hasp 10 outward and out of the socket 11. Thus, both locking devices have been released. The spring 29 will, of course, act to again project the bolt as soon as the hasp 21 has been re leased by the hand, thus drawing upon'the rod 26, rotating the disk 21 to the position shown in Fig. 1, and throwing the hasp 21 back to a horizontal position. It will be seen that the trunk has been unlocked at two -points by unlocking the main hasp 21 and shifting it to the dotted line position in Fig. 1.

Now if it be again desired to close the sections of the trunk and lock them, it is only necessary to bring the sections together and then the lower hasp 10 may be forced inward without regard to the upper hasp 21 and the keeper 15 will force up the bolt 28 and then the bolt will spring back in place within the keeper, that is to the position shown in Fig. 7 the flexible connection formed by the link 31 permitting this upward movement of the keeper withoutcausing a movement of the connecting rod 26 or a rotation of the crank disk 24. Then the upper locking elementor hasp v21 may be locked in the usual manner and the trunk is locked fully and completely. Thus, the trunk may beapparently locked, at least held from any accidental opening movement by simply forcing the auxiliary hasp 10 into the socket 11 and without actually'locking the main hasp 21 in the socket 22 and without the necessity of in any way manipulating the main hasp, while at the same time the unlocking of the look and the shifting of the hasp 21 to the dotted line position in Fig. 1 will cause the simultaneous unlocking of the auxiliary device adjacent the lower end of the trun It will be seen that this construction does away with projecting keepers on one section of the trunk projecting beyond the edge thereof, and furthermore this construction does away with the necessity of a rigid lock ing bar slidingly mounted upon the inner face of the other section and having hooks to engage the keepers on the opposite, first named section. Where such a bar is used, itis necessary to mount the sliding bar on thatsection B of the trunk which supports the drawers and the drawers must be made narrower than the full width of the section in order to accommodate this locking bar. Ifthe locking bar were reversed and placed upon the'inside face ofthat section of the trunk supporting the hangers, the sliding locking bar with. its hooks would be very liable to rub against andengage with the clothes hung upon the hangers, and would be very liable to tear. or otherwise injure thin clothes, such as thin dresses, lingerie,

etc, supported on these hangers. In practically all wardrobe trunks, therefore, this locking bar is disposed within the drawer section of the trunk. We do away with a locking bar having hooks or other projections thereon and thus do away with anything which will tend to injure the clothes supported on the hangers. We can dispose the connecting rod 26 andthe locking bolt and its casing on either section of the trunk, and particularly can dispose these parts on the inner face of the hanger section of the trunk, 'thus "making the drawers of the drawer section of full width. Theguides 33 are not absolutely necessary and may be omitted, thus rendering any engagement between the rod 26 and the 1 clothes still less likely, and further this rod 26 need not be was used,but a chain, wire, or like flexible element might be provided, inasmuchas the rod 26 only acts asa pull element toretract thebolt'28 and never as a pushing element to project the bolt. In this connection, it maybe pointed out that the rod 26 with the link 31 constitutes a flexible element, that is an element which, while exerting a pull on thebolt in order to retract it, will harem-t any-pushing action" on the bolt.

nnother of' the advantages oftithiswcone structi'on lies in the fact that warping of the cause ofthis flexible connection between the disk 2% and the bolt. Inasmuch as practically all trunks are formed of thin wood veneers, it is impossible to prevent these veneers from warping and where there is a locking rod having hooks thereon and mounted on the inner face of the veneer forming the front of one section of the trunk, any warping of this veneer will tend to throw the hooks on this locking rod out of alinement with the keepers on the other section of the trunk so that these hooks and keepers will not engage with each other unless the warped sections be forced back into proper relation. With our construction, however, it is a relatively easy matter, if the front veneers are warped, to force the veneers into engagement with each other without forcing them back into a flat condition, and under these circumstances the bolt 28 will engage the keeper 15 and the main hasp 21 will engage the socket in precisely the same manner as if the veneers were not warped, and the locking devices will function properly without regard to the warping of the veneers.

It will also be noted that both the upper and lower locking devices (hasp 21 and bolt 28) are automatically returned to a position where they may be locked by means of the spring- 29, and further that as soon as the bolt 28 has been'retracted from the keeper 15, the springs 17 and 18 will-force the looking hasp of the auxiliary hasp 10 outward to its unlocked position, and that this lower locking hasp may be shifted into engagement with the bolt 28 by simply kicking or otherwise forcing the hasp 10'inward into its socket.

It will benoted from Fig. 6 that the U- shaped keeper 15. has one leg 15 inclined so as to wedge against the end wall of the slot in the socket 11 to thereby cause the two sections of the trunk to be drawn together.

lVhile we have illustrated a construction which has been found to bethoroughly practical in wardrobe trunks, yet we do not wish to belimited to the details of construction, as it'is obvious that many changes mightbe made therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims. I

1. A trunk having two hlngedly engaged sections and looking means therefor co1nprising a shiftable key-actuated locking de vice on one section adapted to 'be shifted to or from a locking-position, a spring-projecte'd bolt mounted on the samesection of the keeper to shift the bolt and pass it,'and means operatively connected to the locking device and the bolt to cause the retraction of the bolt upon the unlocking of the locking device and the shifting of said device in one direction, said means permitting the return of the bolt to its locking position.

2. A trunk having two relatively movable sections and means for locking the sections comprising a locking device mounted on one section and mounted for movement toward or from the other section and for rotary movement upon and parallel to the section on which it is mounted, a spring-projected bolt on the same section as the locking de vice, a keeper carried by the other section of the trunk with which the bolt coacts, and means operatively connecting the look ing device and bolt to cause the retraction of the bolt upon the unlocking of the locking device and its rotation in one direction, said means permitting the independent retractive movement of the bolt without shifting the locking device.

3. A trunk having two relatively movable sections and means for locking the sections comprising a main key-operated lock on one section mounted thereon "for swinging movement toward or from the other section and for bodily rotatable movement, in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the section on which it is mounted, a springprojected bolt on the same section as the looking device and having its extremity beveled, a keeper carried by the other section of the trunk with which the bolt coacts, said keeper, when the trunk sections are shifted into ongagement, engaging the beveled end of the bolt and thereby passing the bolt, and straining means between the bolt and said locking device whereby to cause a retraction of the bolt upon a rotation of the locking devices in one direction, said straining means permitting the independent shifting of the bolt from its projected position upon its engagement with the coacting keeper.

4:. A trunk having two relatively movable sections, means for locking the sections comprising a main key operated locking device mounted on one section for swinging movement toward or from the other section and for rotatable movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the section 011 which it is mounted, a bolt on the same section, a spring acting to project the bolt, said bolt having a beveled extremity, means operatively connecting the bolt and locking device whereby to cause a retraction of the bolt upon a rotation of the locking device, said means permitting the independent retractive movement of the bolt, and a keeper mounted upon the other section of the trunk and when the sections are being closed 'engaging with the beveled end of the bolt to force the bolt to a retracted position to permit the keeper to pass the bolt, said spring acting to urge the bolt to its projected position and rotate the locking device to its look ing position.

5. A trunk having two sections hinged together and locking means there-tor comprising a lock-carrying hasp rotatably mounted on one of said sections for movement parallel to the plane of said section, a socket on the other section with which said lock engages, an auxiliary locking hasp on the last named section, a shiftable bolt on the first named section, a keeper on the auxiliary hasp with which said bolt automatically engages when the sections are closed, and means connect ing said bolt with said rotatably mounted lock casing to impart to the bolt a positive endwise movement in a direction to retract the bolt when said lock is rotated out of its locking position.

6. A trunk having two sections hinged together and locking means therefor co1nprising a main lock carrying hasp rotatably mounted on one of said sections, a socket on the other section with which said hasp engages, an auxiliary locking hasp on the second named section, an endwise movable bolt on the first named hasp, a keeper on the sec ond named section with which said bolt engages when the sections are closed, and means connecting said bolt with said rotatably mounted main hasp to impart to the bolt a positive endwise movement in a direction to retract the bolt when said main hasp is turned out of its locking position, a spring urging said bolt to a projected position, and means connecting the bolt with the main hasp permitting an endwise movement of the bolt in a direction to retract it independ ently of a movement of the main hasp. V

7. A look mechanism including a key operated main lock, a spring hasp to carry said main lock, a rotatable support for said hasp by means of which said hasp may be oscillated, a bolt, a keeper with which the bolt is adapted to coact, a crank operatively con nected to the rotatable hasp support and rotating therewith, flexible means whereby strain may be applied to retract the bolt upon a rotation of the hasp support in one direction and whereby strain may be relieved on the bolt upon a rotation of the hasp support in the other direction, and a spring acting to project the bolt to resist the movement of the hasp support in one direction and to return the hasp support when the hasp support is released.

8. A lock mechanism comprising a main key operated look, a hasp to carry said main lock, a rotatable support for said has p by means of which the hasp maybe rotated, a reciprocatable bolt, means connecting the bolt with the rotatable support to cause a retraction of the bolt upon a rotation of the support in one direction, a spring'urging main locking device, a keeper on the other section with which the auxiliary locking device engages, and a connection between the main" and auxiliary locking devices causing a positive disengagement of the auxiliary locking device from the coacting keeper upon a shifting movement of the main lock ing device out of its locking position.

10. A trunk having two relatively movable sections and means for locking the sections comprising a shiftable key operated hasp, a rotatable support for said hasp mounted on one section of the trunk, a spring-projected bolt on the same section as the hasp, an operative connection between the rotatable hasp support and the bolt to cause a retraction of the bolt upon a rotation of said support in one direction, said connection permitting the independent retractive movement of the bolt, a secondhasp pivotally mounted upon the other section of the trunk for outward swinging movement and carrying a keeper with which the bolt coacts, a socket on the first named section of the trunk into which the head of said second named hasp is adapted to engage, and a spring disposed within the socket and adapted to urge the hasp to a released position when the bolt releases the keeper.

11. A trunk having two relatively movable sections and means for locking the sections comprising a shiftable key operated hasp, a rotatable support for said hasp mounted on one section of the trunk, a spring-projected bolt on the same section as the hasp, an operative connection between the rotatable hasp support and the bolt to cause a retraction of the bolt upon a rotation of said support in one direction, said connection permitting the independent retractive movement of the bolt, a second hasp pivotally mounted upon the other section of the trunk for outward swinging movement and carrying a keeper with which the bolt coacts, a socket on the first named section of the trunk into which the head of said second named hasp is adapted to engage, a spring disposed within the socket and adapted to urge the hasp to a released position when the bolt releases the keeper, and an outward urging spring mounted on the second named section and engaging the second named hasp to force it outward upon the release of the keeper. 7 a

12. A trunk having two relatively movable sections and means for locking the sec tions together comprising a key operated main lock,a rotatable support mounted on one section of the trunk, a spring hasp carrying said main lock and pivotally connected to the support, and a spring-projected, reciprocatable bolt mounted on the same section of the trunk as the rotatable support, a

hasp pivotally mounted on the other section of the trunk and having a keeper, a socket nounted' on the first named section into which the head of the hasp engages and having a slot through which the keeper projects, the keeper being engaged by said bolt and the bolt having a beveled extremity whereby the keeper may pass the bolt when the head of the keeper is inserted in said socket, and means operatively connected to the rotatable hasp supporting member whereby a rotation of said hasp supporting member in one direction will retract the bolt to permit the releaseof said second named spring hasp, said means permitting the bolt to be independently shifted to a retracted position by engagement with the keeper on the last named hasp without aifecting the rotatable support for the first named hasp.

13. A latch comprising a pivoted; hasp having a keeper, a socket with which the head of the hasp engages and having a slot for the keeper, locking means for engaging said keeper or releasin it, and a spring mounted within the socxet and urging the head of the hasp outward from the socket.

14. The combination with a trunk having two sections hinged together, of locking means therefor comprising a lock casing rotatably mounted on one of said sections, a bolt mounted upon the same section, a keeper on the other section with which said bolt en-- gages when the sections are closed, a spring urging said bolt to a projected position, and means for operatively engaging the rotatable lock casing with the bolt comprising a longitudinally extending connecting rod, and a link pivotally connecting one extremit of the connecting rod with said bolt, the bolt having a beveled extremity and the keeper being adapted to engage said beveled extremity and shift the bolt to a retracted position to permit the keeper to pass the bolt, said link permitting said retraction of the bolt without affecting the rotatable lock casing.

15. A trunk having hinged sections, a main locking device mounted upon one of said sections and bodily shiftable in a plane parallel to said section and in a plane at right angles to the section and adapted to engage the two sections together at one point, an auxiliary, spring-operated locking device mounted on the same section as the main lockin device and adaptedto engage the two sectlons together at another point,

and means for causing the unlocking of the auxiliary locking device upon the unlocking and outward movement of the main locking device and the shifting of the main locking device parallel to the section upon which it is mounted, said means permitting the looking of the auxiliary locking device independently of the shifting movement of the main locking device.

16. A trunk having two hinged sections, a key-operated, main locking device adapted to engage the two sections together at one point, an auxiliary spring-operated locking device adapted to engage the two sections together at another point, and a connection operatively connecting the main locking device and the auxiliary locking device together in all positions of the main locking device and causing the unlocking oi" the auz'qih iary locking device upon the unlocking oi the main locking device but permitting the locking of the auxiliary locking device independently ot the main locking device.

17 A trunk having hinged sections, a keyoperated main locking device adapted to en gage the two sections together at one point an auxiliary, sprin and a coacting spring hasp, the bolt and hasp being adapted to engage the two sections together at another point, and a connection at all times engaged with the auxiliary locking bolt and the main locking device, said connection causing the shifting of the auxiliary locking bolt to an unlocked position upon a shifting of the main locking devices out of locking relation to each other, said means permitting the shifting of the locking bolt independently of the main lockin g device.

. In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

WILLIAM W. DUNN. JOHN H. BEASLEY.

'-0perated locking bolt,