US1628711A - Coin-controlled lock - Google Patents

Description

May 17,1927; w. J. DOBKIN com CONTROLLED LOCK Filed Dec. 1925 2 Shanta-Sheet l INYENTOR [5W0 ATTORNEYS w a w in 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. J. DOBKIN COIN CONTROLLED LOCK Filed Dec; 21, 1925 INVENTOP 1 ZflJflobkzzz BY m (a ATTORNEYS Patented May 17, 1927.

WILLIAM J. DOBKIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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1 Application filed December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,859.

My invention relates to improvements in coin-controlled locks, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrange- .ments herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a coin-controlled lock which consists of a number of coacting parts for permitting the key to lock the door of the locker to which the device is attached only after a coin has been inserted in the lock. The lock is further provided with'novel means for permit tin the key to be turned into locked and unloc ed position as many times as desired previous to the removing of the key from the lock. A further feature of the device lies in the means for blocking the coil en trance when the key is removed, this same means also actuating a stop which prevents the removal of the key and the locking of the lock until a coin has been inserted in the lock. 1 a

A further object of m invention is to provide a coin-controlled lock in which the lock is provided with an indicator for showing the number of times the locker has been used, this indicator being operated only when the key is removed from the lock. The indicator further cooperates with a light for showing whether the locker is unlocked or locked.

A further object of my invention is to provide a coin-controlled lock in which novel means is provided for removably securing the lock casings in the lockers, whereby the entire lock casing may be removed in case the key to the casing is lost and a new look be substituted for the one removed.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is i lustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this up plication, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device with the cover plate removed, and showing the lockin unlocked position,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showingthe lock in locked position,

a Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing the arrangement of the parts when the easing is turned without first placing a coin in the lock, 1

cel checking lockers in public places, such as dance halls, hotels, railway waiting rooms, drug stores, etc. .The cabinets are normally open and are usually arranged in tiers having four lockers in each tier. One of the locks is provided for each locker and is adapted to lock the door 1 in closed position. The cabinet is preferably constructed of sheet metal and this metal is bent into a U-shape, as shown in Figure 8, and the open front of the cabinet is provided with ho].- low spaces 2. In the right hand hollow space, Idispose the locks, one look being provided for each locker.

I will now describe the specific construction of the lock and reference is made to Figures 1, 2 and 3. The lock comprises a body portion 3, a cover plate 4 and a key actuated mechanism. The body portion 3 carries a key-receiving cylinder 5. The cylinder 5 is rotatably mounted in the body portion 3 and carries an arm 6. The arm is moved when the cylinder 5 is rocked by the key, and in turn moves a locking bolt 7. It will be noted that the bolt 7 has a notch 8 therein for loosely receiving a pin 9 carried by the arm 6. This construction permits the cylinder 5 to be rocked slightly before the pin 9 will move. the locking bolt 7 into locked position. The purpose of this will be hereinafter set forth.

The arm 6 has a toothed qumfiraut 1 which meshes with a mutilated pinion 11.. The quadrant 10 and the pinion 11 are pro-- vided for actuating a novel stop mechanism for the cylinder 5, an indicating mechanism, and a coin passage-closing member. The means for actuating the stop mechanism, the indicator mechanism, and for closing the coin passage consists of a lever 12. This lever is pivotally secured to the body portion 3 at 13 and is operatively connected to thepinion 11 by what I term a floating spring. 'lhisspring has one of its ends secured to the lever 12 by a pin 15 and has its other end secured to an arm lG'ot the pinion 11 by a pin 17.

It should be noted at this point that the spring lt exerts a pressure upon thelever- 12 at a point which is almost at the dead center of the lever, for if the'pin 15 were lowered so as to be disposed in a line drawn betweenthe pins 17 and 13, the force of the spring upon the lever 12 would have no effect, since it would be exerted on the line of dead center. The spring14 therefore exerts a'sli'ght force. against the lever 12.

This is, not true with the other end of the spring, because it "will be noted from Figure 1 that the spring 14 exerts a pressure against the pinion llsubstantially at right. angles to the deadcenter line of the pinion. A greater force .will therefore be exerted upon the pinion.;.th'an upon the lever 12. The lower end'180f the lever 12 engages with :1 lug 19 carriedby a'istop, member 20 and tends to swingthe stop, member toward the arm 6. The arm is provided with a notch 21 for receiving" the stop member 20"When no coin hasbeen inserted in the lock, whereby the arm 1s prevented from further movement.

The spring. 1 1 causes the arm 6 to keep thestop 20in normal position.

The recess 8 permits the arm 6 to be moved 'sligh'tlyiwithout moving. the bolt,'and

this movement swings the arm 6 away from the stop member 20 and permitsthe lever 12 to move the stop member 20 toward the' arm to bring-the upper edge 22 into engagementwith the notch .21. The cylinder 5 is now preventedfrom-further rotation in aclockwise dlrectionwhen looking at Figure has been removed. After the coin has been inserted. the key cylinder 5 may be rotated to the right, and this movement willhswing the arm 6 into the position shown in Figure 2, and will' also swing the arm 16 into the position shown in Figure 2. The stop 20 abuts thecoin and permits this movement. This movement causes the floating. spring; to exert a pressure upon the arm 16 in directiori opposite .to that which it formerly exertedf vInother words, the arm- 16 in Figure 1 has. a tendency to swing in. a clockwise direction, due to the force'ot' the spring 14,:1nd

in Figure 2, has a tendency to swing in a counter-clockwise direction, due to the force of the same spring 1st. The spring therefore aids in moving the parts into locked and unlocked position.

\Vhen the key has moved the bolt 7 into locked position, see Figure 2, the lever 12 will have a tendency to swing into the full line'pos ion shown in the figure, due to the force of the spring 14- in changed position. A projection 26 carried by the lever 12 contacts with the cylinder 5 and prevents this movement. However, the cylinder 5 has a. recess 27 therein for receiving this projcction when the cylindtu' 5 has been rotated intothe position shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows the key slot as being large enough for the insertion oi a key that will prevent the projection from being rcceivcd in the recess 27 so long as the key remains in the look. This permits the key to be turned from locked to unlocked position and back to locked position as nianytimes as desired. In the locks now on the market, a. turning of the key will release the coin, even though the key is not removed from the lock, and then a subsequentturning of the key into unlocked position will prevent the key from again being. turned into locked position. unless another coin is inserted in the lock. Many persons checking packages, seeing the locker doors closed, do not know whether the doors are locked or unlocked, and of course assume that the doors are locked.- They thcn drop the coin in the slot, turn the-key to apparently unlock the door, and find out instead that they have locked the door. It is now necessary torthe door to be unlockcd, and after doing so. the mechanism is prcvented from again being moved into locked position, unless another coin is put in the machine. ith thespccial construction just described. I overcome this dismlvantagrc, and, as heretofore stated. permit the lock to be locked and unlocked as many times as desired, so long as the key remains in the lock.

As soon as the key is removed "from thc lock. the projection 2(i'is rcccivcd in the recess 27 and the lclvcr 12 will now swing into the full line position shown in Figurc 2. The uppcr end ZSofthe lcvc'r 12 will swing to cloro ihc coin entrance 29. see Figure (3. This lnovcment is accomplishcd by the spring ll. The swinging of the lcvcr 12 will also remove tho projection23 from beneath the coin 31. and will pcrmit the coin to pass on through the coin passageway 24.

The lock carries an indicating mechanism 31 and the arm 32 of this mechanism is connected to the lever 12 by means of a link 33.

The link 38 advances the indicator one digit when the key is removed from the lock. Tlic opening otthe lock actuatcs the arm 6. the

quadrant 10. the pinion. 11. and the lcvcr 12 for moving these parts back into the posi-" portion 3 and is in electrical connection with a light A wire 36 leads from the light and is in electrical connection with a source of current. When therefore the lock is open. current will flow through the wire 36 to the light 35, thence to the arm through 32 through the medium of the flexible terminal 34. The arm 32 is in electrical connection with the electrical source of current. The light is now energized and will remain so until the lock is again actuated. A lens 37 is disposed in front of the light and is carried by the cover plate 4.

Due to the position of the floating spring 14, the action of the spring brings the forces exerted by the arm 6 and the stop member fill 20 against one another The stop member 20 is moved back into operative position by the lever 12 which engages with the lug 19. The left hand lug 38 in Figure 1 contacts with the coin and prevents the movement of the stop member 20, whereby the parts may be moved into locked position. It should be noted at this point that the bolt 7 moves in front of the door 1, see Figure 5, when looking the door.

In Figures 6 and 7, I show a novel means for securing the lock casings in the cabinets. The front wall indicated by the letter m, see Figures 6 and 8, has openings 39 therein for receiving the lock casings. The openings are shorter in length than the length of the lock casings. In Figure 2, I show how the lock casing is provided with a reduced portion 40 at the top thereof and with a second reduced portion 41 at the bottom thereof, the reduced portion 40 being longer than the reduced portion 41. In inserting the lock casing through the opening, the casing is tilted with respect to the cabinet and then the reduced portion 40 is moved through the opening 39, and then upwardly until the shoulder 42 of the casing abuts the upper edge of the opening 39. The lock casing may now be swung into a vertical position, and this will swing the portion 41. past the lower edge 43 of the opening. The lock casing is now lowered until the shoulder 44 of the casing abuts the edge The lock is now disposed in the position shown in Figure 6, and it will be noted from this Figure that the portion 40 still engages with the wall as, and this, together with the portion 41, prevents the removal of the lock casing from the cabinet.

In Figure 7 I show a strap 45 for locking all of the casings in the cabinet. The strap carries studs 46, and these studs bear against the tops'of the lock casing, see Figure 6, and

when thestrap 45 isprevented from move ment, the studs will prevent the removal of the lock casings from the cabinet. The upper end of the strap 45 is passed through a lock 47. This lock maybe opened or closed by means of a key, and, when locked will prevent the movement of the strap 45, thus locking the lock casings in place. If a key of one of the lock casings should be lost,

the strap 45 could be released to permit the removal of the lock casing and the substitution of a new one.

Deflector plates 48 are disposed beneath each lock casing and guide the coins away from the lock casings disposed directly be neath. The coins will drop into a coin box 49 where they may be removed at any time.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a body portion having a coin passageway therein, a key-actuated cylinder, means for stopping the movement of said cylinder when no coin is inserted in the device, and means 0 eratively connecting said cylinder with sai stop means for causing said stop to engage said cylinder when said cylinder is turned without inserting a coin, said connecting means being arranged to close the coin entrance when the key has been removed.

2. A device of the type described comprising a body portion having a coin passageway therein, a keyactuated cylinder, means for stopping the movement of said cylinder when no coin is inserted in the device, means operatively connecting said cylinder with said stop means for causin said stop to engage said cylinder when sald cylinder is turned without inserting a coin, said connecting means being arranged to close the coin entrance when the key has been removed, an indicator carried by said body portion, and means operatively connecting said indicator with said connecting means.

3. A device of the type described comprising a body portion having a coin passageway therein, a key-controlled cylinder having a recess therein, a closure for said coin passageway adapted to be actuated by the movement of said cylinder, said closure havin a rojection normally bearing against the cy 'n'c er and being receivable in said recess, said projection. engaging with the key in said cylinder for preventing movement of said closure into operative position, and yielding means for moving said closure into operative posit-ion when said hey is removed from said cylinder.

4. A device of the type described compris :ing a body portion having a coin passageway therein, a key-controlled cylinder, a stop member for normally preventing the actuation of said cylinder when no coin has been inserted, and means operatively connecting said cylinder with Said stop member Whereby the "coin; wilhprevent th e movement- 5 I ofithe :stop member, thus permitting the cylinderwto heaetnatede 5L Aedevice ,of 'the typeadeseribed comprisingf'a body portion havingja coin vpassage- Way-v. therein-', .a key e0ntr0l1ed cylinder, a metopzmemberrforssaid cylinder for preventingithesturningvof: said cylinder when no commas-been inserted, a lever for moving said-st0p member, anarm connected to said cylinder for actuating theloekingholt, said arm bearingnagainst said stop member, and spring meansbearing against said lever andlbeinggpperatively connected to said arm to exert agreater-force upon said arm than upon said stop-.qnember, whereby said stop member is lprevented from movement into operative posit-ion bvsaid arm.

VIfJIJI-ABI J. DOBK IN.

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