US1529766A - Room indicator - Google Patents

Description

= March '17.]1925. 1,529,766

' J. BINA ROOM INDICATOR Filed Aug. 5, 1921 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JEH/Y Buy/l BY 'March 17, 1925. I 1,529,766

' J. B-l NA ROOM INDICATOR I Filed Aug 5, 1921 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YINVENTOR.

Q W v I k H I i ITTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

4 1,529,766- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BINA, or MILWAUKEE,- wi'sconslm R0 O'M INDICATOR.

Application filed August 5, 1921; Serial. Nb. 489,9 9.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BINA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Room Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, ande act description,reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming-- a part of this specification.

This invention relates to lock actuated room indicators.

The occupants of-hotelrooms, state rooms, etc.,, arenot infrequently annoyed by the untimely entry, or attempted entry, of the servants or attendants in the course of their usual duties. Actual entry may ordinarily be prevented by the use of the inside lock with which these rooms are usually provided and which cannot be operated except'from the inside; but attempted entries can not One object of the present invention is the provision of an improved type of lock actuated indicator for the purpose above outlined, capable of universal application and use with locks of various forms, without requiring any modification of the lock or look mechanism. v

Another object is the provision of an improved type of indicator, which will not only automatically respond to the positions Of the look but which may be manually set to indicate a given condition of the room. This feature is particularly useful in hotels and the like, where it is desirable to indicate, for instance, when the room has been cleaned up for the day and is ready for occupancy.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying, drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front: elevation of a conventional'form of dooran'd' door casing equipped with a lock actuated indicator constructed in acc'ordance'with the present invent on. r y

Figure 2 18 a horlzontal sect on'al View on a somewhat larger Sensor the parts Shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3- isla sectional view taken. su bg st'antially on the line 3- 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the liiie of FiguresQ and 6.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are front views of the indicator proper, with the face plate pa'r tially broken away, and respectively illu's trating the three diiferent indicator. I v

For convenience of. illustration and dejscriptiom th'e invention is shown and will be described as, embodied in an indicator mounted upon a door casing, although it may be advantageously embodied in an indicator designed for mounting upon the door. I

A door 10 of conventional form is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.- This door is mounted in the usual manner, within the door casing ll o'f standard construction. A look mechanism of any appropriate type is carried by the door.

12 and with two lock bolts. One of the lock bolts shown at 13 is operable by a key 14 insertable through a key hole 15 on theinner side of the door, while the other lock bolt (not shown) may be operated from either side of the door through one of the key holes 16. When in locking position, the

active end o-f the lock bolt 13 projects into a socket 17 within the door casing, in the usual manner, to secure the door againstopening. The parts thus far described are of a well known construction, so that a further or more detailed description is deemed unnecessary The indicator selected for illustration in cludes a base plate 18 and a dished coveror face plate 19 cooperatingtherewith to form a casing or chamber 20. These plates are secured together by any appropriate means,

'such, for instance, as screws 21 passing through suitable registered openings therein and anchored in the face of the door casing 11. The face plate '19 is provided with a sight opening 19. A signal plate or tarpositions of I the The lock mechanism shown is provided with the usual 'door'knobs thereof llO get 22 is mounted within a suitable guidew'ay formed within the casing 20 and extending beneath the sight opening. The guideway is formed preferably by. slitting and bending up portions of the base plate 18 to form a pair of upstanding guide flanges 23 between which the target 22 is positioned forvertical sliding movement. The target is arranged to assume either of three positions with respect to the sight opening. In one position (Fig. 5), the upper portion only of the target is visible beneath the sight opening in a second position .(Fig. 6), the lower portion only of the target is visible; and in the third position (Fig. 7), the target is completely withdrawn from beneath the sight opening, so that, 'a portion of the base plate 18 is visible therethrough. Theupper and lower portions of the target, as well as the portion of the base plate 18beneath the opening, preferably bear characteristic colors or symbols corresponding to different conditions of the lock or room. For instance, in the indicator shown the lower portion 'of the target carries the symbol In to indicate that the room is occupied and the occupant does not want to be disturbed; the upper portion carries the symbol Out to indicate that the room is unoccupied or that the servant or attendant may enter to take care of the room; and the base plate 18 car ries'the symbol Inspected to indicate that the room has been taken care, of by the servant or attendant. I

Lock actuated mechanism is employed for eli'ecting an automatic adjustment of the indicator toeither of the two positions first named, while mechanism adapted to be actuatedby the servant or attendant is preferably provided for effecting an adjustment to the third position. These mechanisms may assume various forms. The lock actuated mechanism is preferably arranged, however, to be actuated by the active end of the lock bolt 13, that is, the end of the bolt that enters the socket 17, so'that the indicator may be associated with and actuated by the lock without requiring a modification of the lock mechanism. Then the indicator is applied to the .door casing, a lock actuated mech-l anism, such as will now be described, may: be advantageously employed.

This mechanism includes a plunger 24:, arranged preferably in substantial align-- ment with the lock bolt 13. This plunger is preferably reciprocally mounted in altubular member 25 seated within a suitable bore formed within the door casing and communicating with the socket 17. A compression spring 26 tends at all times to project the plunger into the socket 17 toward tllGlOCk bolt 13. For purposes of adjustment, one end-of the plunger 24. is provided with a contact screw 27 screwed into the end of the plunger and adapted to bear against the end face of the lock bolt, when the bolt is adthat it usually becomes necessary that the rock shaft 32 extend substantially through the door casing from front to rear. For this reason, a longitudinally adjustable shaft is preferably employed so that it may be acwidths. The rock shaft shown is therefore made up of two short lengths of shafting having telescopic interengagement. length of shafting 33 carries at oneend the pinion and is squared at the other end for a sliding fit within the squared tubular shafting 34.

The free end of the tubular shafting 3 T fits over and embraces a squared turnbutton 35 secured to one end of a stub shaft 36 rotatab'ly mounted within the base plate 18 of the indicator. shaft 36 carries a cam or lever 37 for actuating the target 22. The stub shaft 36 and lever 37 are preferably arranged within the bottom portion of the casing 20 beneath the One The other end of this stub- 'commodated to door casings of variouslower edge of the target, so that when the i lever 37 is swung to an upright position the target is raised to its uppermost position with the lower portion thereof exposed through the sight opening. When the lever 37 is swung downwardly the target falls by a gravity to a lower position. 7

Any appropriate manually operable means, such as a detent lever 38, may be provided for limiting the downward movement of the target. This lever 38 is pivotally mounted, as at 39, preferably upon the base plate 18. in position beneath the lower edge of the target. This lever is of'such length that when in its normal upright position the downward movement of the-target is limited and the target held thereby in such position that the upper portion thereof is exposed through the sight opening. This lever, however, when swung to its lower po sition, permits the target to fall to its lowermost position, where it is entirely below the sight opening and a portion of the base plate is exposed through the opening. The two levers 37 and 38 are preferably arranged so asto swing toward each other and so that the lever 38, when in its lower position, is within the path of movement of lever 37 (see Fig. 7). Thus, when the lever 37 is swung upwardly the lever 38 is forced thereby into its upright position, shown in Figures 5 and 6. To return it to its lower position, any appropriate, means, such as a knob .40, is provided. connected with the pivot pin 39 and projecting from the face plate 19, where it may be readily grasped and manipulated by the servant or attendant.

In operation, lever 38 isnormally in the upright position shown in Figures and '6. Then the lock bolt 13 is thrown to locking position, with the active end thereof pro; jecting into the socket 17, the piunger is forced to the right against the pressure of the spring 26, the rock shaft 32 is rotated, and the lever 37 swung to its upright position as shown in Figure 6. The targetv is thus forced upwardly by the lever 37 so that the indicator shows In. The servant may thus tell, at a glance, that the room is occupied and that the occupant does not wish to be disturbed.

When the occupant leaves the room, however, he turns the key and withdraws the lock bolt 13 to release the lock. As soon as released, the plunger 24 is automatically shifted to the left (Fig. 2) under the action of the spring 26. This movement of the plunger is limited by the contact of the shoulder 29 with the pinion 31. This movement of the plunger is sufiicient, however, to swing the lever 37 to its lower position of Figure 5 by rotation of the pinion 31, rock shaft 32 and turn button 35. The target 24 is thus permitted to fall by gravity until it strikes the upstanding lever 88, in which position the indicator shows Out. The servant may thus tell, at a glance, that the room is either unoccupied or that the occupant is willing to have the servant enter for the purpose of taking care of the room. Should the occupant again lock the door by throwing the lock bolt 13 to locking position, the indicator would again be thrown to the position showing In, in the manner above described.

l Vhen the servant has cleaned up the room for the day, he turns the knob 40 to the right (Fig. 1), thus swinging the lever 38 to its lower position of Figure 7. This permits the target 22 to fall by gravity to its lowermost position, where it disappears below the sight opening and the indicator shows Inspected. The room is then again ready for occupancy. When the occupant has entered and does not want to be disturbed he looks the inner look by turning the key 14 and thus throwing the. bolt 13 tolocking position. The lever 37 is thus automatically swung upwardly in the manner above described, forcing the lever 38 upwardly to its normal upright position and raising the target to its uppermost position where the indicator shows In. The parts are thus again restored to the position shown in Figure 6.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment the invention h ereinabove 2. A -lock actuated indicator having a movable target, lock actuated means tor e fl'ecting' a movement. of said target in either of two directions, and manually operable means for limiting the movement of said target in one direction;

3. A look actuated indicator having a movable target, lock actuated means for effecting a movement of said target in either of two directions, means actuated by said first named means for limiting the movement of said target in one direction, and manually operable means for adjusting said limiting means to permit a further movement of said target.

4. The combination with an indicator having a sight opening and a target movable. relative to said sight opening, of means for effecting a movement of said target in either of two directions, and means automatically actuated in one direction for lim iting the movement of said target and manually operable in another direction to permit an extended movement of said target.

5. An indicator having a movable target, means including a lock actuated lever for effecting movement of said target in either of two directions, and manually releasable means for limiting the movement of said target in one direction.

6. An indicator having a movable target, means including a lever for effecting move ment of said target in either of two directions, and means including a second lever projectable within the path of movement of said first named lever for limiting the movement of said target in one direction.

7. The combination with a look having a lock bolt of an indicator actuated thereby, said indicator comprising signalling means, and signal actuating means, including a lock actuated member pro-jectable into the path of movement of the active end of said lock bolt.

8. The combination with a lock having a lock bolt of an indicator actuated thereby and having signalling'means, and means including a member engageable with the active end of said lock bolt for actuating said first named means.

9. In a lock actuated indicator, the cornbination of a signalling means, a member for contact with the active end of a lock bolt to move therewith, and connections between said member and sald slgnalhng means foraotuating said signalling means when the lock bolt is thrown to locking position. o

v10. The combination of a door and door casing, a lock having a lock bolt-carried by said door, an indicator, and means including a member mounted in,said casing and actuated by said lock bolt for actuating said indicator. 11. The combination of a door and door casing, a lock having a lock bolt carried by said door, an indicator mounted on said

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