US1646987A

US1646987A - Lock

Info

Publication number: US1646987A
Application number: US82689A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edgar M Benham
Original assignee: MOSLER LOCK CO
Current assignee: MOSLER LOCK CO
Priority date: 1926-01-21
Filing date: 1926-01-21
Publication date: 1927-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1944-10-25

Description

2 1927* E. M. BENHAM- LOCK Filed Jan. 21. 1926;

Patented Get. 25, 1927.

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EDGAR I'd. EENHAM, GF ZIQIFLVJOQD, H1

SBIGNOE TO THE IVIGSLER LOCK COIVJIEAKNSZ',

LOCK.

Application filed January 21, 1926.

This invention relates to locks, and more particuiarly relates to locks which require the manipulation of two keys to unlock the same, and to looks of the type which are customarily used in connection with safety deposit boxes.

Safety deposit boxes are customarily provided with locks which require two keys for unlocking the box. One of these keys is a guard key, held permanently by the custodian of the bank, and the other key is the customer's key, which is kept by another otlicial of the bank until a customer engages the box, and then this key given to the customer. It is an advantage to ship the boxes from the factory to the bank in locked condition and to keep the boxes locked pending engagement by a customer. To accomplish this, the boxes are locked at the factory. lVhen it is desired to exhibit a box to a customer, it has been necessary for the custodian to procure from another bank ofiicial. the particular customers key for the box. Only in this way has it been possible for the custodian to exhibit the interior of the box to the customer. If the box is engaged, the custodian then turns over the customers key to the customer. There is a possibility of a dishonest custodian takingan NDPIQSSIOD. of the customers key While it is thus in his possession, and. thereafter, by having a duplicate key made from this imyn'csr'iion, to provide himself with means for effecting unlawful entry into the box.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a lock for safety deposit boxes, or the like, which is designed to be operated by both a guard key and a customers key, but does not require the custodian of the guard key to have possession of the customcrs key to lock and unlock the box before the customers key hr been applied thereto, and thus to keep the customers key out of the hands of such custodian. and to permit this key to be sealed at the factory and not to be unsealed by anyone except the customer who engages the particular box. A further object of this invention is to provide a lock of the character described, which may be locked at the factory and may be maintained locked pending leasing thereof, and may be opened by the custodian for inspection until it has been engaged and the customers key used thereon, and thereafter being unopenable except by use of the customers key in Serial Ho. 82,689.

connection with the guard key. Another object of my invention is to provide a lock of the character described, which is simple in construction and in operation, and is eliicient and durable. it further object of my invention is to provide means on the lock for indi cating the particular customers key suited to the lock. Other objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

in accordance with my invention, the lock comprises a bolt bar, which is dominated by a set of guard tumblers and. another set of master tumblers. When the lock is first mounted on the box, it is provided with means which stops locking movement oi? the bolt liiefore it has moved. suiiiciently :lar to allow the master tumblers to move out of alignment. in this condition, the lock may be locked and unlocked by manipulating the guard key and a dunnnykey, which merely engages the bolt operating cam. This permute the lock to be locked for shipment and to be locked and unlocked pending the leasing of the box to a customer. The customers key, suited to each box, is preferably sealed at the factory in a separate envelope, and these sealed keys are kept by an otlicial of the bank until the box is leased by a customer. This customer is then given the sealed key suited to the be which he has engaged. 'ihereupon the custodian releases the bolt of the lock for full movement into locking position. which movement may b accomplished either by means of thdcu: todians duuuny key or by the customers key. In either when the bolt has been moved into full locked position. the master tuml ilcrs move out of alignment, thus dogging the bolt and preventing the opening of the look by the dummy kcy possessed by the custodian. The customer, however, may unlock the box, so long as the guard tumblers are aligned by the guard key. The lock is arranged in the usual way, preventing the customer from withdrawing his key While the box is unlocked. The underside of the bolt bar may be provided with a designating numeral or mark, which will be exposed when the bolt is projected partially by means of the dummy key, and the envelopes containing the customers keys may be given corresponding marks or numerals, to indicate which envelope contains the customers kev suited for that particular box. Thus, wheii a box is engaged, the custodian projects the bolt partially forward by means of his dummy key, while the'door is open, and thus ascertains which sealed key is to be given to the customer. V

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig.1 is a top view of the lock partially locked and with the cover plate partially broken away, certain of the parts being shown in dotted lines, to more clearly bring'out the construction; Fig. 2 is a top view of the lock completely locked, certain of the parts being indicated in dotted lines to show their location; Fig. 3 is a back viewof the lock partially locked; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bolt bar, a fragment of the front plate, and the bolt operating cam; 5 is a side view of the guard key; Fig. 6 is a side view of the custodians dummy key; Fig. 7 is a side View of the customers key; and Fig. Sis a diagrammatical representation of the customers key (in dotted lines) sealed in an envelope. Similar reference characters refer tosim-ilarparts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the lock comprises a suitable box or casing 1, having a cover plate 2, and enclosing a bolt bar 3,

" having a bolt portion l which reciprocates through a suitable perforation in the front wall 5 of the casing. /Vithin the casing is a series of pivoted guard tumblers 6 and a series of pivotedmaster tumblers 7, which coact, respectively, with lugs 8 and 9 of the bolt bar. Guard tumblers 6 are adapted to be actuated by a guard key 10 operating in key tube 11, and master tumblers 7 are adapted to be actuated by a customers key 12 operating" in key tube 13. A bolt bar operating cam 14- is connected with the key post 15 inkey tube 13. A dummy key 16 is provided for operation in key tube 13 to actuate cam 14 but not the master tumblers 7.

The rear wall 17 of the lock is provided with a slot 18 therethrough, and a screw 19 threadably engages the bolt bar and has its head positioned in this slot. The slot and screw cooperate to prevent the bolt bar from being moved sufficiently far forward to take the lug 9 out of engagement with the master tumblers Z in other words, to

prevent the master tumblers 7 from moving out of alignment, but permitting the bolt bar 3 to move sufiiciently to lock and unlock a box, or the like, on which the lock is mounted. The numeral 20 indicates the threaded hole in the bolt bar 3 for the screw 19.

Preferably, the rear face of the bolt at its forward edge is marked with a designating mark or number, as at 21. The customers key suited to the box is preferably sealed in an envelope 22 at the factory, and the envelope marked with a corresponding mark or number, as at 23.

At the factory, the lock is mounted'on the safety deposit box, and is partially locked by means of dummy key 16, or otherwise, forv shipment. The customers key suited to the box is sealed in the envelope at the factory, and the box and keys are shipped to the bank. ll/ hen the box has been installed in the bank, the box may be .-.--f

opened for inspection by means of the guard key 10 and dummy key 16, so long as the screw 19 remains in place. 'lVhen a custoiner engages thebox, he is handed the sealed envelope 22 containing the key for the box. The screw 19 is then removed, thus permitting the lock to be fully locked, either by the dummy key or the customers key. The consequent movement of the bolt bar will cause themaster tumblers T to move out of alignment, thus positively preventing the opening of the box thereafter by means of the dummy key. Thus, the customers key need never be unsealed from'the time it leaves the factory until it is placed into the customers possession, and the custodian or no other bank ofiiclal or person has access to this key and no opportunity to have the key duplicated for dishonest or other purposes. It will be evident that the custodian 'will gain nothing by removing the screw 19 before the box is leased;

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without'departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is 1. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable within the casing, and removable means carried on the bolt bar, preventing the bolt bar from traveling its full stroke in looking direction.

2. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable within the casing, and means engaging the bolt bar and casing, preventing the bolt bar 'from'traveling its full stroke in looking direction, said means including a screwpenetrating a slot in said casing and engaged with the bolt bar.

8. Tn a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable within the casing, and means engaging the bolt bar and easing, preventing the bolt bar from traveling its full stroke in locking dircction, said means including a screw penetrating a slot in said casing and engaged with the bolt bar, said screw being accessible for removal from the rear face of the lock to release the bolt bar for a full stroke in locking direction.

at. In a lock of the character described. in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the casing, a lug on the bolt bar coacting with said tumblers, said bolt bar and lug being movable a slight distance relatively to said tumblers from unlocked position without causing saidtumblers to become out of alignment, and removable means for limiting mo vement oi? said bolt bar and lug in said casing to movement which will not cause said tumblers to become out of alignment.

5. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the cas- .ing, a lug on the bolt bar coacting with said tun'iblers, said bolt bar and lug being movable a slight distance relatively to said tumblers from unlocked position without causing said tumblers to become out of alignment, and removable means for limiting movement of said bolt bar and lug in said resing to movement which will not cause said tumblers to become out of alignment, said means engaging said casing and bolt bar and being removable to permit sullicient movement 05 the bolt bar to release said tumblers.

6. In a locl: of the character described, in (.Ollll'fl'llllllllOll, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the cas a lug on the bolt bar coacting with said tumblers, said bolt bar and lug being mov' able a slight distance relatively to said tum- -i from unlocked position without causing said tumblers to become out of alignment, and removable means for limiting movement of said bolt bar and lug in said casing to movement which will not cause said tumblers to become out of alignment, the construction permitting such restricted reciprocation of the bolt bar to be elfected by means of a dummy key.

7. In a loci: of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the cas ing, :1 lug on the bolt bar coacting With said tumblers, said bolt bar and lug being movable a slight distance relatively to said tumblers from unlocked position without causing said tumblers to become out of alignment, removable means for limiting movement of said bolt bar and lug in said casing to movement which will not cause said tumblers to become out of alignment, a dummy key for effecting such restricted reciprocatic-on of the bolt bar, and guard tumblers in said casing coacting with said bolt bar governing said movement of the bolt in unlockin direction.

8. In a lock of the character described, a casing, a bolt bar slidable within the casing, master tumblers coacting with the bolt bar, pi' ard tumblers coacting with the bolt bar, said guard tumblers being released before said master tumblers are released uponforthe bolt bar, and means ward movement or for stopping forward movement of the bolt bar after the guard tumblers have been released by such movement and before the master tumblers have been released.

9. In a lock of the character described, a. casing, a bolt bar slidable within the cang, master tunjiblcrs coacting with the bolt bar, ard tumlilers coacting with the bolt her, said guard tumblers being r l used before said master tumblers are 1-51.. l upon forward movement of the bolt bar, and means stopping forward movement of the bolt 1r after the guard tumblers have been. re-

so by such movement and before the ter tumblers have been released, said means being removable to permit further forward movement of the bolt bar and the release of the master tumblers.

10. In a lock of the character described, a casing, a bolt bar slidable within the casing, master tumblers coacting with the bolt bar, guard tumblers coacting with the bolt bar, said guard tumblers being released before said master tumblers are released upon for ward movement of the bolt bar and means for stopping forward movement of the bolt bar after the guard tumblers have been released by such movement and before the master tumblers have been released, said restricted forward movement 01 the bolt bar being sutlicient to place the lock in partial locked condition.

11 111 a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, and an identifying mark on the rear face of the bolt bar adjacent its outer end, said mark being concealed within the casing when the bolt bar is fullv retracted and being exposed outside of the casing when the bolt bar is projected.

12. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, tumblers in the casing coacting with the bolt bar and permitting the par tial reciprocation of the bolt bar by means or" a key which does not coact with said tumblers and removable means for restricting themovement of said bolt bar to said partial reciprocation.

13. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing tumblers in the casing coacting with the bolt bar and permitting the partial reciprocation of the bolt bar by means of a key which does not coact with said tumblers and removable means for restricting the l in movement o'f said'bolt bar to said partial the casing, master-tumblers having slots, a 25 reciprocation, the construction permitting the unlocking of the look by means of a customerskey after said stopmeans have been removed and the lock has been completely locked.

14. In a lock oi the character described,- in combination, a casing, a bolt barslidable in the casing, master tumblers having slots a lug on the bolt bar engaging in the slots and movable to a certain extent therein Without releasing the tumblers, stop means coacting with the casing and bolt bar restricting movement of said bolt bar to movement which does not remove said lug from the tumbler slots, the lock being adapted to be partially locked and unlocked by meansof a dummy key, and being adapted, when said stop means have been removed to be com-' pletely locked and unlocked by means of a lug on the bolt bar-engaging in the slots and movable to a certain extent thereln Without blers, guard tumblers within the casing another lug on the bolt bar coacting with said 'Lia-i'(l tumblers; said lug releasing said guard of a guard: key.

This specification signedthis 18 day of January, 1926.

EDGAR M. BENHAM.