US1595979A - Permutation lock - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 10, 1926. 1,595,979

, J. E. BARKER PERMUTATION' LOCK Filed pril 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. E. Ear/5:7.

I ATTORNEYS.

Au Qm 1929. BA-KER 1,995,979

PERMUTATION LOCK I Filed pr 1 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jbsepb E. Bar/ ez;

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

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JOSEPH E. BARKER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PER/MUTATION LOCK.

Application filed April 13, 1925.

a permutation lock of the type above re- :terred to that shall be so designed and constructed that it can readily be opened in the dark whereby it will be suitable for use in places where a permutation lock of ordinary construction cannot be employed. A still further object of this invention is to produce a lock of the type referred to that shall be so constructed that it will be suit able for use for practically every purpose for which a lock of this general type may be desirable.

My invention can be most clearly clescribed and will be most readily understood when reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiments thereof have been shown and in which:

Fig. 1 is a Section taken on line 1-1 Fig. 2 and shows the relative relation of the parts;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the lock, looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 Fig. 1;

Fig. i is'a view, partly in elevation, and partly in section showing a slightly moditied construction;

5 is a plan view of a modified form ot cam member;

Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction oi arrow 6 in Fig. 7 and shows my lock incorporated in a sedan door lock handle;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 7, of the parts shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 8 and shows a top plan view of the parts shown, in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 99, Fig. 11 and shows a plan view of some of the working parts of a modified form of a is a section taken on line 33,

in which the plungers are set Serial No. 22,593.

lock constructed in accordance withmy invention;

Fig. 10 is a section also taken on line 99 Fig. 11 and shows the parts in a different relative position;

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line 1l.11 Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a View, with parts shown in section, showing a padlock constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 13 a plan view of the end closure cap of the padlock and Fig. 1 is a side elevation or the member shown in plan in Fig. 13.

In the drawing numeral l'designates a cylindrical casing having a threaded portion 2 of reduced diameter. This casing has a cylindrical opening 3 which extends part way through the same and with which is ax ally aligned a cylindrical opening t of somewhat smaller diameter. lVithin the opening 3 is the cylindrical barrel 5 which is of the proper diameter to fit this opening and which is provided with a cylindrical extension (3 which terminates flush with in nor end 7 of the casing. An arm 8 is secured to the inner end of the extension 6 by means of screws 7. This arm may be employed in the usual manner for moving a bolt. For the purpose of locking the barrel 5 against rotation in the casing, three or more radial holes 9 are drilled in such a position that their axes intersect both the axis of the casing and of the barrel 5. These holes extend for some distance into the barrel and may for the sake of simplicity be supposed to extend to the center thereof. Transverse slots 10 are milled in the barrel. These slots are of a thickness less than the diameter of the holes 9 so that the steel balls 11, that lie in the openings 9 cannot fall out. Plunger pins 12 are located in that part of the openings 11 that lies in the ma terial of the casing 1. These plungers are urged inwardly by means of springs 13, which are under compression and which urge the plungers 12 inwardly. is apparent that when the barrel is so related to the casing that the holes 9 are in alignment the plungers 12 will project into the barrel unless some means is provided to prevent this from taking place. The barrel 5 has a depression 1.4; which is engaged by the ball 15 when the holes 9 are in alignment. A plate 16 is slidably held in a clove tail slot and serves to hold the springs and plungers in place. VJithin that portion of the openings 9 that is in the material of the barrel 5 are plungers 17 that are each of different length, or at least one is of different length than the others. lVhen the plungers 12 and 17 are in such a position that the junction line between each pair of plungers coincides with the junction between the barrel and the casing. the barrel can be rotated with respect to the casing, but in all other positions of the plungers, the barrel is locked. In the ordinary pin lock, the plungers are brought to unlocking position by means of a notched key of well known construction. In my device the position of the plungers are controlled by means of spiral cams which are independently controllable and the operation of which I will now describe.

I have provided three concentric shafts which I have designated by numerals 18, 19 and 20. Shaft 18 is solid and extends entirely through the lock. At its outer end it has a knob 21 and the other end has a transverse perforation for the reception of a pin 22. Shaft 18 has a flattened portion 23 that extends to the point marked 24-. A spiral cam 25 is located in the innermost slot 19 and has an opening having a flat side that engages the flat side 23, so as to prevent it from rotating on the shaft. Outside of shaft 18 is the tubular shaft 19 to which another spiral cam is fastened. This cam is identical with cam 25 except with respect to the central opening which is larger. Outside of shaft 19 is the outer tubular shaft that carries the cam The outer ends of shafts 19 and 20 have knobs 26 and 27, each of which has an annular groove 28 for the reception of the annular flange 29 on the adjacent knob. The shape of the cams is best shown in Fig. 3 where it may be noted that its periphery is divided into a number of curved notches 30, the bottoms of each of which is spaced a different distance from the center. At the point where the spiral begins there will be a wall 31 that serves as a stop and prevents rotation in one direction. This determines the zero position. As the balls 11 are pressed against the outer periphery of the cams by the springs 13, the movement from one notch to the other can be felt by the operator as he rot-ates the knobs and the number of notches from zero position can be counted. The combination may be so set that the plungers are moved to unlocking position when the cams are set in some predetermined position. As an example we may consider that the combina-,

tion requires the cam attached to shaft 18 to be moved 6 notches; that attached to shaft 19, 8 notches and that attached to shaft 20, 2 notches. All of the cams'are first moved to zero position, knob 21 is then rotated through 6 notches. Knob 26 is then rotated through 8 notches and finally knob 27 is rotated through 2 notches. The operator now grasps all three knobs and rotates the barrel 5. The friction of all of the cams and shafts being sufficient to rotate the barrel. If it should be found necessary, the outer end of the barrel may be provided with a knob like that indicated by numeral 32 in Fig. a, which may be grasped and used for rotating the barrel after the plungers have been moved to unlocking position. If desired the notched spiral cams may be replaced by plain spiral cams like that illustrated in Fig. 5, but in this case the knobs must be set with respect to some external dial, which makes it necessary to illuminate the lock in order to work the combination. The combination may be changed by interchanging the plungers 17 or substituting different lengths of plungers or by substituting differently constructed cams.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 I have shown how my lock may be incorporated in the door handle of an automobile door look. In this case the barrel may have an outwardly extending integral cylindrical projection 33 through which the shafts 18, 19 and 20 extend. This projecting portion may have an enlargement 34 to which the handle is secured. The knobs 21, 26 and 27 may be enclosed by a semi-spherical cover 36 that may be held shut by means of a spring lock 37.

In F 12 I have shown a padlock in which the barrel 38 which is almost identical with the corresponding member 5 in Fig. 1 is secured in a cylindrical opening that extends entirely through the casing 39. Casing 39 has a cylindrical opening 40 whose inner surface is tangent to the inner surface of the first named opening. A bail 1-1 has one end provided with a cylindrical member 4.2 that is of the proper size to fit the opening 40. A cover 43 having one portion thereof provided with an opening 4A, through which the bail 11 extends, serves as a closure for the two openings in the casing and serves also to prevent the cylindrical portion 42 from being withdrawn. The barrel 38 is constructed in the same manner as barrel 5 in Fig. 1 with the exception that instead of having a cylindrical projection 0. it has a cylindrical recess 15 into which the cylindrical portion 46 of the cover 4-3 fits. A pin 17 serves to hold the barrel 38 and the cover 4:3 in place. The other end of the bail 41 projects into the opening 1-8, when the parts are in locked position and makes it impossible to remove the pin 47 except when the parts are in unlocked position. The plungers 12 and springs 13 are carried in the cylindrical part 42 and are controlled by cams like those described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3. The parts are so designed that when the free end of the bail 4:1 is inserted into the opening 418 and pressed down the plunger openings in member 412 will be brought into alignment with the corresponding openings in the barrel 38. By rotating the knobs 21, 26 and 27 the plungers 12 and 17 are brought into unlocking position which permits the bail to be pulled out and rotated. The arrangement of parts shown in. Fig. 19. may be employed in a large number of special lock constructions such as steering wheel locks.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 l. have showna modification in which my invention has been incorporated in a distinctly different type of lock, which, however, operates substantially in the same manner as the ones described above. The lock shown in Figs. 9, 10and 11 is intended more particularly for lockers but may be employed for many other purposes as well. The locking elements are enclosed within a substantially rectangular box pressed from suitable sheet metal. This box has abottom 419, front side and a top member 51 A bolt 51 is mounted within the box. in such a manner that it can reciprocate between the positions shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This bolt has two flat portions 52 and 53 whose outer edges come into close proximity to the inside of the box so as to be guided thereby in the manner quite apparent from Figs. 9 and 10. A tubular member 54 is secured to the cover 51 in the manner shown in Fig. 11. The shafts 18, 19 and 20 are journalled in member 54, in the manner indicated. The shaft 18 extends through the bottom of the box in the manner shown in Fig. 11 and is held against withdrawal by means of a pin 22. Any other equivalent construction may be employed, if desired. A disk 55 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 18. This disk has a notch 56 which receives the pin 57 that is fastened to the member and whereby the disk 55, when rotated, will reciprocate the bolt 51. Disk has an arcuate edge which I have designated by numeral 58 which moves past the stationary vertical pin 59. A. pin (it) is fastened at one end to the disk and carries three or more plates 61 which are duplicates except for the fact that each plate has a slot 62 that is adapted to receive the pin 59, in the manner shown in Fig. These slots occupy different relative positions on the different plates 61 which makes it necessary that they shall be rotated to dirtli OlOllb extents about the pin in order to bring them into alignment so that the pin 59 may enter and permit the disk 55 to be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 9. Each plate 61 has a projection 63 that cowill receive the pin 59 and pirmit the disk' 55 to be rotated so as to reciprocate the bolt 51. The plates 61 take the place of and perform the function of the plungers 12 and 17 in the other devices.

It will be apparent from the above description that the operation of the lock shown in Fig. 1 and that shown in Figs. 9 to 11. is broadly the same, for in each case the locking mechanism is controlled by spiral cam members independently rotatable by means 01 concentric shafts.

Having now described my invention and explained the manner in which it operates, whatI now claim is:

1. In a permutation lock of the class described, the combination with a cylinder lock having a rotatable barrel and a series of plungers of a plurality of concentric shafts rotatably mounted in said barrel a spiral shaped cam secured to each o1 said shafts, said cams being operatively related to said plungers and adapted to move the latter, and knobs on the outer ends of each of said shafts.

2. In a permutation lock, in combination, a rotatable member, means for locking said member against rotation, said means comprising a plurality of independently movable locking members, a spiral cam operatively associated with each of said locking members and means comprising concentric shafts for rotating either one of said cams independently of the others for the purpose of bringing the locking members to a predetermined position.

3. In a. permutation lock, in combination, a rotatable member adapted by its movement to control a locking bolt, means for preventing the rotation of said rotatable member, said means COll'lPllSlIlQ a plurality of independently movable locking members and means for moving said locking members to inoperative position, said means comprising a separate spiral cam for each locking member.

41-. In a permutation lock, in combination, a rotatable member adapted by its movement to control a locking bolt, means for I preventing the rotation of said rotatable member, said means comprising a plurality of independently movable locking members, means comprising a plurality of independent spiral cams for moving the locking members to inoperative position, means comprising a plurality of concentric shafts for independently controlling the cams, and means for determining the extent to which each cam is rotated.

5. In a permutation lock, in combination, a rotatable member adapted by its movement to control a locking bolt, means for preventing the rotation of said rotatable member, said means comprising a plurality of independently movable locking members, means comprising a plurality of independent spiral cams for moving the locking members to inoperative position, means comprising a plurality of concentric shafts for independently controlling the cams, and means for determining the extent to which each cam is rotated, said last named means comprising notches in the peripheries of said cams.

6. In a permutation look a casing having a cylindrical opening, a cylindrical member movably mounted in said opening, means for locking said member against movement, said means comprising a plurality of independently movable plungers, means compris- 111g spiral cams for moving said locking plungers to inoperative position, and means for controlling the position of said cams.

7. In a permutation look a casing having a cylindrical opening, a cylindrical member movably mounted in said opening means for locking said member against movement, said means comprising a plurality of independently movable locking plungers and means comprising spiral cams for moving said locking plungers to inoperative position, said cams having their peripheries provided with notches Whose bottoms are at different distances from the center.

8. In a permutation lock, in combination, a plurality of locking members, a cam member operatively associated with each locking member, said cams having their peripheral edges provided With spaced notches Whose bottoms are spaced unequal distances from the center and means for independently rotating the cams.

9. In a permutation lock of the class described, in combination, a casing having a cylindrical opening, mounted in said opening, registering openings in said casing and tumbler, plunger in said openings, spiral cams operatively associated with said plungers and means for rotating each cam through a predetermined angle independently of the other cams, said means comprising concentric shafts, one of which is operatively associated with each cam.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH E. BARKER.

a barrel rotatably

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