US20140291325A1 - Lock system for a container - Google Patents
Lock system for a container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140291325A1 US20140291325A1 US14/231,288 US201414231288A US2014291325A1 US 20140291325 A1 US20140291325 A1 US 20140291325A1 US 201414231288 A US201414231288 A US 201414231288A US 2014291325 A1 US2014291325 A1 US 2014291325A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- locking
- receptacle
- cover
- rod
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D19/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D19/02—Rigid pallets with side walls, e.g. box pallets
- B65D19/06—Rigid pallets with side walls, e.g. box pallets with bodies formed by uniting or interconnecting two or more components
- B65D19/08—Rigid pallets with side walls, e.g. box pallets with bodies formed by uniting or interconnecting two or more components made wholly or mainly of metal
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D43/14—Non-removable lids or covers
- B65D43/22—Devices for holding in closed position, e.g. clips
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B65/00—Locks or fastenings for special use
- E05B65/52—Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like
- E05B65/5207—Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like characterised by bolt movement
- E05B65/5215—Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like characterised by bolt movement sliding
- E05B65/523—Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like characterised by bolt movement sliding parallel to the surface on which the lock is mounted
- E05B65/5238—Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like characterised by bolt movement sliding parallel to the surface on which the lock is mounted parallel to the wing edge
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B67/00—Padlocks; Details thereof
- E05B67/38—Auxiliary or protective devices
- E05B67/383—Staples or the like for padlocks; Lock slings; Arrangements on locks to cooperate with padlocks
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05C—BOLTS OR FASTENING DEVICES FOR WINGS, SPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS
- E05C9/00—Arrangements of simultaneously actuated bolts or other securing devices at well-separated positions on the same wing
- E05C9/02—Arrangements of simultaneously actuated bolts or other securing devices at well-separated positions on the same wing with one sliding bar for fastening when moved in one direction and unfastening when moved in opposite direction; with two sliding bars moved in the same direction when fastening or unfastening
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
- B65D2519/00009—Materials
- B65D2519/00014—Materials for the load supporting surface
- B65D2519/00024—Metal
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
- B65D2519/00009—Materials
- B65D2519/00049—Materials for the base surface
- B65D2519/00059—Metal
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
- B65D2519/00009—Materials
- B65D2519/00154—Materials for the side walls
- B65D2519/00164—Metal
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
- B65D2519/00009—Materials
- B65D2519/00189—Materials for the lid or cover
- B65D2519/00199—Metal
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
- B65D2519/00547—Connections
- B65D2519/00706—Connections structures connecting the lid or cover to the side walls or corner posts
- B65D2519/00716—Connections structures connecting the lid or cover to the side walls or corner posts non-removable lid or covers
- B65D2519/00721—Connections structures connecting the lid or cover to the side walls or corner posts non-removable lid or covers hinged lids
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
- B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
- B65D2519/00736—Details
- B65D2519/0086—Protection against environmental hazards, e.g. humidity, bacteria, fire
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B41/00—Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/0801—Multiple
- Y10T292/0834—Sliding
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/0801—Multiple
- Y10T292/0834—Sliding
- Y10T292/0836—Operating means
- Y10T292/0846—Rigid
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/0911—Hooked end
- Y10T292/0945—Operating means
- Y10T292/0951—Rigid
- Y10T292/0954—Padlock or seal catch
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/096—Sliding
- Y10T292/0999—Spring retracted
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/096—Sliding
- Y10T292/1014—Operating means
- Y10T292/1022—Rigid
- Y10T292/1025—Padlock or seal catch
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T70/00—Locks
- Y10T70/40—Portable
- Y10T70/413—Padlocks
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T70/00—Locks
- Y10T70/40—Portable
- Y10T70/413—Padlocks
- Y10T70/487—Parts, accessories, attachments and adjuncts
- Y10T70/489—Housings
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T70/00—Locks
- Y10T70/50—Special application
- Y10T70/5093—For closures
- Y10T70/554—Cover, lid, cap, encasing shield
- Y10T70/5544—Pivoted
- Y10T70/5549—Cover-carried lock
Definitions
- the present invention relates to containers, and in particular, to locking systems for construction storage boxes.
- Typical sizes for such a cabinet or box can range from 5 ft 3 to 150 ft 3 or even larger.
- Exemplary storage containers include those sold under the name JOBOXTM by Delta Consolidated Industries, Jonesboro, Ark. and those sold under the name JOBMASTERTM by Knaack Manufacturing, Crystal Lake, Ill.
- the typical container has a cover, also formed of sheet steel, that is attached via a hinge to the rear wall of the box portion of the container. Such a cover pivots between a closed position covering the cavity and an open position that allows access to the cavity.
- the cover should have sufficient strength and durability to withstand the abuse a chest typically endures, including the stacking of heavy objects on the lid.
- Horizontal lock systems in which the latching mechanism for the cover is operated from one end of the tool box using a padlock are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,613 to Webb et al.
- An elongated latch rod is typically slidably disposed adjacent a front wall of the body of the container. The padlock and the elongated latch rod are positioned such that the padlock body blocks the longitudinal movement of the latch rod in the latched position when the container is in the closed position and the padlock is locked, but an end of the latch rod passes between the shackle and the padlock body to move the latch rod to a release position when the padlock is unlocked.
- Horizontal lock systems typically require an operator to manually move the latch rod between the latched position and the release position after the padlock is unlocked. Accordingly, unlocking the container may be cumbersome because the operator generally needs to both unlock the padlock and manually move the latch rod. In addition, it may be difficult to determine visually whether the container is locked or unlocked.
- a container includes a receptacle having walls, a floor, and an open end.
- a cover is pivotally attached to one of the walls of the receptacle.
- the cover is movable between an open position, in which the open end of the receptacle can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the cover overlies the open end of the receptacle.
- a locking receptacle is mounted on one of the cover and one or more of the receptacle walls.
- the container includes a locking system for maintaining the cover in the closed position.
- the locking system includes an carrier member having at least one locking member extending from the carrier member, the carrier member being movable between a first locked position in which the locking member engages the locking receptacle to maintain the cover in the closed position and a second unlocked position in which the locking member disengages from the locking receptacle and the cover is movable between the closed and the open position.
- a biasing unit is attached to the carrier member. The biasing unit is configured to bias the carrier member toward the unlocked position.
- the locking system includes a blocking member at an end of the carrier member.
- the blocking member is movable between a first engaged position, in which the carrier member abuts a portion of the blocking member and maintains the elongate rod in the first locked position, and a second disengaged position, in which the carrier member disengages from the blocking member and the biasing unit urges the carrier member in the second unlocked position.
- the locking assembly includes a locking indicator assembly having an indicium on an external portion of the container and a movable member connected to the carrier member.
- the movable member overlies the indicium when the carrier member is in at least one of the first locked position and the second unlocked position. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the indicium is not covered by the movable member when the carrier member is in the other of the first locked position and the second unlocked position.
- the locking system is mounted on the cover and the locking receptacles are mounted on at least one of the container sidewalls.
- the locking system includes at least one tab adjacent one of the locking members.
- the blocking member is a padlock.
- the padlock can include a body portion and a shackle so that when the shackle disengages from the padlock body portion, the first end of the carrier member is positioned between the shackle and the padlock body and the carrier member is in the second unlocked position.
- the container can further include padlock housing configured to house the padlock and a bracket mounted in the housing, the bracket having an aperture for receiving the padlock shackle therein.
- the receptacle is formed of sheet metal.
- the carrier member can be an elongate rod.
- a container includes a receptacle having walls, a floor, and an open end.
- a cover is pivotally attached to one of the walls of the receptacle. The cover is movable between an open position, in which the open end of the receptacle can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the cover overlies the open end of the receptacle.
- a locking receptacle is mounted on one of the cover and one or more of the receptacle walls.
- the container includes a locking system for maintaining the cover in the closed position.
- the locking system includes a carrier member having at least one locking member extending from the carrier member.
- the carrier member is movable between a first locked position in which the locking member engages the locking receptacle to maintain the cover in the closed position and a second unlocked position in which the locking member disengages from the locking receptacle and the cover is movable between the closed and the open position.
- a blocking member is at a second end of the carrier member. The blocking member is movable between a first engaged position in which the carrier member abuts a portion of the blocking member and maintains the carrier member in the first locked position and a second disengaged position in which the carrier member disengages from the blocking member is movable to the second unlocked position.
- the locking system further includes a locking indicator assembly having an indicium on an external portion of the container and a movable member connected to the carrier member.
- the movable member overlies the indicium when the carrier member is in at least one of the first locked position and the second unlocked position.
- FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a container according to embodiments of the current invention
- FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 with the lid in the open position;
- FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a locking system of the container of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed bottom perspective view of the locking system of FIG. 3 in an unlocked position
- FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the locking system of FIG. 3 in a locked position
- FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of the box of FIG. 1 with the locking system of FIG. 3 in the unlocked position;
- FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of the box of FIG. 1 with the locking system of FIG. 3 in the locked position;
- FIG. 8 is a bottom exploded perspective view of the padlock and locking components of the locking system of FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 9 is a cut-away perspective view of the padlock and locking components of FIG. 8 ;
- FIG. 10 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a slidable member assembly for the locking assembly of FIGS. 6-7 ;
- FIG. 11 is a top view of the slidable member assembly of FIG. 10 .
- phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y.
- phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.”
- phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.”
- spatially relative terms such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” can encompass both an orientation of “over” and “under”.
- the device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
- the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise.
- first”, “second”, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a “first” element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could also be termed a “second” element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
- the sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.
- a container 10 includes a receptacle 12 having side walls 14 , a floor 16 , and an open end 18 ( FIG. 2 ).
- a cover 20 is pivotally attached to one of the walls 14 and is movable between an open position shown in FIG. 2 , in which the open end of the receptacle can be accessed, and a closed position shown in FIG. 1 , in which the cover 20 overlies the open end 18 of the receptacle 12 .
- locking receptacles 22 are mounted on at least one of the walls 14 .
- the receptacle 12 may be formed of sheet metal.
- the container 10 includes a locking system 50 .
- the locking system 50 has a carrier member or elongate rod 52 with two ends 52 a , 52 b and a spring 54 at the end 52 a and locking members 56 extending from the rod 52 .
- the rod 52 is mounted in a casing 80 by brackets 82 .
- the casing 80 includes tabs 58 adjacent the locking members 56 of the rod 52 .
- the locking system 50 further includes a blocking member or padlock 60 that is held by a housing 84 at the end 52 b of the rod 52 opposite the spring 54 .
- the padlock 60 includes a body 62 , a shackle 64 and a key 66 ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ).
- the padlock 60 is held in the housing 84 by a bracket 86 that fits within the housing 84 , a pin 88 that extends through the housing 84 and the bracket 86 , and a screw 90 that mounts the pin 88 to the wall of the housing 84 .
- the shackle 64 of the padlock 60 extends through an aperture in the bracket 86 .
- the locking system 50 includes a locking indicator assembly 70 that has locking indicia 72 a , 72 b and a slidable bar assembly 74 .
- the indicia 72 a , 72 b can be any indicator that is visible to an operator to indicate whether the locking system 50 is in the locked or unlocked state. Examples of suitable indicia 72 a , 72 b include a color, a logo, a symbol, text, etc.
- the slidable bar assembly 74 includes a connecting member 74 b for connecting the bar 74 a shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the rod 52 of FIGS. 3-5 .
- the elongated rod 52 is movable between a locked position shown in FIG. 5 and an unlocked position shown in FIGS. 3-4 .
- the locking members 56 engage the corresponding locking receptacles 22 to maintain the cover 20 in the locked position.
- the locking members 56 disengage from the locking receptacles 22 so that the cover 20 is movable between the open and closed positions.
- the body 62 of the lock 60 can be moved away from the loop end of the shackle 64 .
- the body 62 moves out of the path of the rod 52 , such that the rod end 52 b is disengaged from the padlock body 62 .
- the spring 54 which is in compression, urges the rod 52 to the unlocked position in which the rod end 52 b passes between the padlock body 62 and the shackle 64 .
- the locking members 56 are positioned so as to not engage the locking receptacles 22 shown in FIG. 2 , and, consequently, the cover 20 is free to move between the open and closed positions.
- the rod 52 may be moved to the locked position in the direction indicated in FIG. 5 , for example, by an operator moving the sliding bar 74 .
- the rod end 52 b abuts the padlock body 62 , and the rod 52 compresses the spring 54 .
- the padlock body 62 engages the rod end 52 b to substantially prevent movement of the rod 52 in the lateral direction, which maintains the rod 52 in the locked position of FIG. 5 .
- the locking members 56 are moved to a position in which they engage the locking receptacles 22 when the cover 20 is closed so as to maintain the cover 20 in the closed position.
- the locking receptacles 22 may include a flange, surface or pin that engages the hook 56 a of the locking members 56 when the locking members 56 and the rod 52 are in the locked position of FIG. 5 .
- the spring 54 urges the rod end 52 b between the padlock body 62 and the shackle 64 such that the rod 52 is automatically moved to the unlocked position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .
- the locking members 56 are biased toward the unlocked position.
- the locking members 56 are aligned with the tabs 58 . If an unauthorized user attempts to pry the cover to gain sufficient access to manually unlatch the locking members 56 , the tabs 58 may reduce or block this access and maintain the security of the locking members 56 .
- the tabs 58 are in the locking receptacles 22 and the lid 20 is locked, the tabs 58 are fixed to the lid 20 and fit closely inside the locking receptacle 22 (which is fixed to the wall 14 ) and generally prevents the lid 20 from being pried or urged left to right.
- the rod 52 is connected via the connecting member 74 b to the slidable bar 74 of the locking indicator assembly 70 , which is visible from an external portion of the container 10 .
- the indicium 72 a is visible. Accordingly, an operator can determine that the container cover 20 is unlocked by visually observing the indicium 72 a .
- FIG. 7 when the padlock 60 is moved to the locked position (and the rod 52 is in the corresponding locked position of FIG.
- the slidable bar 74 is moved in the direction indicated in FIG. 7 and covers the indicium 72 a .
- the movement of the slidable bar 74 to the locked position in FIG. 7 uncovers the indicium 72 b . Therefore, an operator can determine that the container cover 20 is locked by visually observing the indicium 72 b.
- the slidable bar 74 a of the slidable bar assembly 74 can be connected to a receiving member 52 c on the rod 52 via the connecting member 74 b .
- a brace 74 c is connected to the connecting member 74 b by a fastener, such as a rivet 74 d , which holds the connecting member 74 b on a notch 20 a in the cover 20 as shown in FIGS. 3-5 .
- the connecting member 74 b is received in the receiving member 52 c of the rod 52 so that the bar 74 a moves with the rod 52 between a locked and an unlocked position.
- the container 10 may take other configurations.
- the locking indicator assembly 70 is illustrated with respect to indicia 72 a , 72 b , it should be understood that one of the indicia 72 a , 72 b may be omitted so that the other of the indicia 72 a , 72 b is visible when the padlock 60 is in one of the unlocked or locked positions.
- the locking assembly 50 is illustrated with respect to the spring 54 at an end 52 a of the rod 52 , it should be understood that other biasing units, such as a gas spring or cylinder, or an elastomeric member could be used. Moreover, the spring 54 or other biasing unit could be located along the middle portion or on the other end 52 b of the rod 52 .
- the spring 54 or other biasing unit can be biased to a locked or an unlocked position. In some embodiments, the cover 20 is biased to an open position, and the spring 54 is biased to a locked position; however, the cover 20 may be biased to a closed position and/or the spring may be biased to an unlocked position.
- the rod 52 may be any carrier member for moving a locking member between an unlocked and locked position, including a nonlinear or bent member.
- the hooks 56 a of the locking members 56 may be any suitable size and configuration that maintains the cover 20 in a closed position (such as when the locking members 56 mate with locking receptacles 22 ). However, the tapered shape of the hooks 56 a may reduce impact forces to the locking system 50 when the cover 20 is closed.
- the slidable bar assembly 74 can include any suitable movable member for overlying and revealing the indicia 72 a , 72 b .
- the slidable bar 74 could be replaced with a rotary member that moves in a rotational direction with the rod 52 (or other carrier member) to reveal or overlie a visible indicium, and can be connected to the rod 52 or other carrier member using various configurations.
- the connecting member 74 b may be connected to the rod 52 by welding or other fasteners.
- the locking system 50 is mounted on the cover 20 and the locking receptacles 22 is mounted on the receptacle walls 14 .
- the locking system 50 and locking indicator assembly 70 may be mounted on the receptacle walls 14 and the locking receptacles 22 may be mounted on the cover 20 .
- the locking system 50 may structurally reinforce the strength of the cover 20 .
- the padlock 60 is illustrated as a blocking or abutting the rod end 52 b in FIG. 5 , other suitable configurations may be used to block the rod end 52 b and maintain the rod 52 in the locked position.
- the padlock 60 may be positioned in any suitable orientation. For example, the padlock 60 may be rotated about ninety degrees with respect to the horizontal plane of the cover 20 .
- the padlock 60 may directly or indirectly block the rod end 52 b .
- the padlock 60 may be attached to another component, such as a metal plate or sleeve, which blocks the rod end 52 b when the padlock 60 is in the locked position.
- the housing 84 may be sealed so that water drains out the front of the container 10 away from the inside of the receptacle 12 .
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Abstract
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/731,741, filed Dec. 31, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,421, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/930,465, filed Oct. 31, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,342,580, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/857,880, filed Nov. 9, 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
- The present invention relates to containers, and in particular, to locking systems for construction storage boxes.
- Large storage containers, including boxes and cabinets, used in the construction industry are often formed of steel sheet. The floor, walls and ceiling (or lid) of the container can be formed either from a single sheet of steel that is bent at intersecting edges of these surfaces or from multiple pieces of sheet steel that are welded together. Many containers have bolsters underlying the floor, and some will include castors beneath the bolsters. Typical sizes for such a cabinet or box can range from 5 ft3 to 150 ft3 or even larger. Exemplary storage containers include those sold under the name JOBOX™ by Delta Consolidated Industries, Jonesboro, Ark. and those sold under the name JOBMASTER™ by Knaack Manufacturing, Crystal Lake, Ill.
- For protection of tools stored inside the container cavity, the typical container has a cover, also formed of sheet steel, that is attached via a hinge to the rear wall of the box portion of the container. Such a cover pivots between a closed position covering the cavity and an open position that allows access to the cavity. The cover should have sufficient strength and durability to withstand the abuse a chest typically endures, including the stacking of heavy objects on the lid.
- Horizontal lock systems in which the latching mechanism for the cover is operated from one end of the tool box using a padlock are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,613 to Webb et al. An elongated latch rod is typically slidably disposed adjacent a front wall of the body of the container. The padlock and the elongated latch rod are positioned such that the padlock body blocks the longitudinal movement of the latch rod in the latched position when the container is in the closed position and the padlock is locked, but an end of the latch rod passes between the shackle and the padlock body to move the latch rod to a release position when the padlock is unlocked.
- Horizontal lock systems typically require an operator to manually move the latch rod between the latched position and the release position after the padlock is unlocked. Accordingly, unlocking the container may be cumbersome because the operator generally needs to both unlock the padlock and manually move the latch rod. In addition, it may be difficult to determine visually whether the container is locked or unlocked.
- According to embodiments of the invention, a container includes a receptacle having walls, a floor, and an open end. A cover is pivotally attached to one of the walls of the receptacle. The cover is movable between an open position, in which the open end of the receptacle can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the cover overlies the open end of the receptacle. A locking receptacle is mounted on one of the cover and one or more of the receptacle walls. The container includes a locking system for maintaining the cover in the closed position. The locking system includes an carrier member having at least one locking member extending from the carrier member, the carrier member being movable between a first locked position in which the locking member engages the locking receptacle to maintain the cover in the closed position and a second unlocked position in which the locking member disengages from the locking receptacle and the cover is movable between the closed and the open position. A biasing unit is attached to the carrier member. The biasing unit is configured to bias the carrier member toward the unlocked position. The locking system includes a blocking member at an end of the carrier member. The blocking member is movable between a first engaged position, in which the carrier member abuts a portion of the blocking member and maintains the elongate rod in the first locked position, and a second disengaged position, in which the carrier member disengages from the blocking member and the biasing unit urges the carrier member in the second unlocked position.
- In certain embodiments, the locking assembly includes a locking indicator assembly having an indicium on an external portion of the container and a movable member connected to the carrier member. The movable member overlies the indicium when the carrier member is in at least one of the first locked position and the second unlocked position. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the indicium is not covered by the movable member when the carrier member is in the other of the first locked position and the second unlocked position.
- In particular embodiments, the locking system is mounted on the cover and the locking receptacles are mounted on at least one of the container sidewalls.
- In some embodiments, the locking system includes at least one tab adjacent one of the locking members. In particular embodiments, the blocking member is a padlock. The padlock can include a body portion and a shackle so that when the shackle disengages from the padlock body portion, the first end of the carrier member is positioned between the shackle and the padlock body and the carrier member is in the second unlocked position. The container can further include padlock housing configured to house the padlock and a bracket mounted in the housing, the bracket having an aperture for receiving the padlock shackle therein.
- In some embodiments, the receptacle is formed of sheet metal. The carrier member can be an elongate rod.
- According to further embodiments of the present invention, a container includes a receptacle having walls, a floor, and an open end. A cover is pivotally attached to one of the walls of the receptacle. The cover is movable between an open position, in which the open end of the receptacle can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the cover overlies the open end of the receptacle. A locking receptacle is mounted on one of the cover and one or more of the receptacle walls. The container includes a locking system for maintaining the cover in the closed position. The locking system includes a carrier member having at least one locking member extending from the carrier member. The carrier member is movable between a first locked position in which the locking member engages the locking receptacle to maintain the cover in the closed position and a second unlocked position in which the locking member disengages from the locking receptacle and the cover is movable between the closed and the open position. A blocking member is at a second end of the carrier member. The blocking member is movable between a first engaged position in which the carrier member abuts a portion of the blocking member and maintains the carrier member in the first locked position and a second disengaged position in which the carrier member disengages from the blocking member is movable to the second unlocked position. The locking system further includes a locking indicator assembly having an indicium on an external portion of the container and a movable member connected to the carrier member. The movable member overlies the indicium when the carrier member is in at least one of the first locked position and the second unlocked position.
- The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the invention.
-
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a container according to embodiments of the current invention; -
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the container ofFIG. 1 with the lid in the open position; -
FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a locking system of the container ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed bottom perspective view of the locking system ofFIG. 3 in an unlocked position; -
FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the locking system ofFIG. 3 in a locked position; -
FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of the box ofFIG. 1 with the locking system ofFIG. 3 in the unlocked position; -
FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of the box ofFIG. 1 with the locking system ofFIG. 3 in the locked position; -
FIG. 8 is a bottom exploded perspective view of the padlock and locking components of the locking system ofFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 9 is a cut-away perspective view of the padlock and locking components ofFIG. 8 ; -
FIG. 10 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a slidable member assembly for the locking assembly ofFIGS. 6-7 ; and -
FIG. 11 is a top view of the slidable member assembly ofFIG. 10 . - The present invention now will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
- Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity. Broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise.
- The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.”
- Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
- It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.
- Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” can encompass both an orientation of “over” and “under”. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise.
- It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a “first” element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could also be termed a “second” element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.
- Referring to
FIGS. 1-9 , acontainer 10 includes areceptacle 12 havingside walls 14, afloor 16, and an open end 18 (FIG. 2 ). Acover 20 is pivotally attached to one of thewalls 14 and is movable between an open position shown inFIG. 2 , in which the open end of the receptacle can be accessed, and a closed position shown inFIG. 1 , in which thecover 20 overlies theopen end 18 of thereceptacle 12. As shown inFIG. 2 , lockingreceptacles 22 are mounted on at least one of thewalls 14. Thereceptacle 12 may be formed of sheet metal. - As shown in
FIGS. 2-5 , thecontainer 10 includes alocking system 50. The lockingsystem 50 has a carrier member orelongate rod 52 with twoends 52 a, 52 b and aspring 54 at the end 52 a and lockingmembers 56 extending from therod 52. Therod 52 is mounted in a casing 80 bybrackets 82. The casing 80 includestabs 58 adjacent the lockingmembers 56 of therod 52. - Referring to
FIGS. 3-7 , the lockingsystem 50 further includes a blocking member orpadlock 60 that is held by ahousing 84 at theend 52 b of therod 52 opposite thespring 54. Thepadlock 60 includes abody 62, ashackle 64 and a key 66 (FIGS. 6 and 7 ). With reference toFIGS. 8 and 9 , thepadlock 60 is held in thehousing 84 by abracket 86 that fits within thehousing 84, apin 88 that extends through thehousing 84 and thebracket 86, and ascrew 90 that mounts thepin 88 to the wall of thehousing 84. Theshackle 64 of thepadlock 60 extends through an aperture in thebracket 86. - As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lockingsystem 50 includes a lockingindicator assembly 70 that has lockingindicia 72 a, 72 b and aslidable bar assembly 74. Theindicia 72 a, 72 b can be any indicator that is visible to an operator to indicate whether thelocking system 50 is in the locked or unlocked state. Examples ofsuitable indicia 72 a, 72 b include a color, a logo, a symbol, text, etc. As shown inFIGS. 3-5 , theslidable bar assembly 74 includes a connectingmember 74 b for connecting the bar 74 a shown inFIGS. 6 and 7 to therod 52 ofFIGS. 3-5 . - In this configuration, the
elongated rod 52 is movable between a locked position shown inFIG. 5 and an unlocked position shown inFIGS. 3-4 . When thecover 20 is in the closed position and therod 52 is in the locked position ofFIG. 5 , the lockingmembers 56 engage thecorresponding locking receptacles 22 to maintain thecover 20 in the locked position. When theelongate rod 52 is in the unlocked position ofFIGS. 3 and 4 , the lockingmembers 56 disengage from the lockingreceptacles 22 so that thecover 20 is movable between the open and closed positions. - In particular, when the
padlock 60 is unlocked as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 , thebody 62 of thelock 60 can be moved away from the loop end of theshackle 64. As such, thebody 62 moves out of the path of therod 52, such that therod end 52 b is disengaged from thepadlock body 62. Thespring 54, which is in compression, urges therod 52 to the unlocked position in which therod end 52 b passes between thepadlock body 62 and theshackle 64. In this disengaged/unlocked position, the lockingmembers 56 are positioned so as to not engage the lockingreceptacles 22 shown inFIG. 2 , and, consequently, thecover 20 is free to move between the open and closed positions. - The
rod 52 may be moved to the locked position in the direction indicated inFIG. 5 , for example, by an operator moving the slidingbar 74. When the operator locks thepadlock 60, therod end 52 b abuts thepadlock body 62, and therod 52 compresses thespring 54. In this position, thepadlock body 62 engages therod end 52 b to substantially prevent movement of therod 52 in the lateral direction, which maintains therod 52 in the locked position ofFIG. 5 . When therod 52 is in the locked position, the lockingmembers 56 are moved to a position in which they engage the lockingreceptacles 22 when thecover 20 is closed so as to maintain thecover 20 in the closed position. For example, the lockingreceptacles 22 may include a flange, surface or pin that engages the hook 56 a of the lockingmembers 56 when the lockingmembers 56 and therod 52 are in the locked position ofFIG. 5 . - When an operator unlocks the
padlock 60, thespring 54 urges therod end 52 b between thepadlock body 62 and theshackle 64 such that therod 52 is automatically moved to the unlocked position shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 . In this configuration, the lockingmembers 56 are biased toward the unlocked position. - When the
rod 52 is in the unlocked position ofFIGS. 3 and 4 , the lockingmembers 56 are aligned with thetabs 58. If an unauthorized user attempts to pry the cover to gain sufficient access to manually unlatch the lockingmembers 56, thetabs 58 may reduce or block this access and maintain the security of the lockingmembers 56. When thetabs 58 are in the lockingreceptacles 22 and thelid 20 is locked, thetabs 58 are fixed to thelid 20 and fit closely inside the locking receptacle 22 (which is fixed to the wall 14) and generally prevents thelid 20 from being pried or urged left to right. - Referring to
FIGS. 6 and 7 andFIGS. 10 and 11 , therod 52 is connected via the connectingmember 74 b to theslidable bar 74 of the lockingindicator assembly 70, which is visible from an external portion of thecontainer 10. As shown inFIG. 6 , when thepadlock 60 is in the unlocked position (and therod 52 is in the corresponding unlocked position ofFIGS. 3-4 ), the indicium 72 a is visible. Accordingly, an operator can determine that thecontainer cover 20 is unlocked by visually observing the indicium 72 a. As shown inFIG. 7 , when thepadlock 60 is moved to the locked position (and therod 52 is in the corresponding locked position ofFIG. 5 ), theslidable bar 74 is moved in the direction indicated inFIG. 7 and covers the indicium 72 a. The movement of theslidable bar 74 to the locked position inFIG. 7 uncovers theindicium 72 b. Therefore, an operator can determine that thecontainer cover 20 is locked by visually observing theindicium 72 b. - In this configuration, when the
padlock 60 is unlocked, thespring 54 urges therod 52 and thebar 74 automatically to the unlocked position ofFIGS. 3 and 4 andFIG. 6 . Consequently, theslidable bar 74 reveals the indicium 72 a, which is a visible indication that thecover 20 is unlocked. By configuring thelocking system 50 such that it is biased to the unlocked position, it should be clear to a user that thecontainer 10 is unlocked because of the presence and visibility of the indicium 72 a. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 10 and 11 , the slidable bar 74 a of theslidable bar assembly 74 can be connected to a receiving member 52 c on therod 52 via the connectingmember 74 b. Abrace 74 c is connected to the connectingmember 74 b by a fastener, such as arivet 74 d, which holds the connectingmember 74 b on a notch 20 a in thecover 20 as shown inFIGS. 3-5 . The connectingmember 74 b is received in the receiving member 52 c of therod 52 so that the bar 74 a moves with therod 52 between a locked and an unlocked position. - Those skilled in this art will recognize that the
container 10 may take other configurations. For example, although the lockingindicator assembly 70 is illustrated with respect toindicia 72 a, 72 b, it should be understood that one of theindicia 72 a, 72 b may be omitted so that the other of theindicia 72 a, 72 b is visible when thepadlock 60 is in one of the unlocked or locked positions. - Although the locking
assembly 50 is illustrated with respect to thespring 54 at an end 52 a of therod 52, it should be understood that other biasing units, such as a gas spring or cylinder, or an elastomeric member could be used. Moreover, thespring 54 or other biasing unit could be located along the middle portion or on theother end 52 b of therod 52. Thespring 54 or other biasing unit can be biased to a locked or an unlocked position. In some embodiments, thecover 20 is biased to an open position, and thespring 54 is biased to a locked position; however, thecover 20 may be biased to a closed position and/or the spring may be biased to an unlocked position. Therod 52 may be any carrier member for moving a locking member between an unlocked and locked position, including a nonlinear or bent member. The hooks 56 a of the lockingmembers 56 may be any suitable size and configuration that maintains thecover 20 in a closed position (such as when the lockingmembers 56 mate with locking receptacles 22). However, the tapered shape of the hooks 56 a may reduce impact forces to thelocking system 50 when thecover 20 is closed. - The
slidable bar assembly 74 can include any suitable movable member for overlying and revealing theindicia 72 a, 72 b. For example, theslidable bar 74 could be replaced with a rotary member that moves in a rotational direction with the rod 52 (or other carrier member) to reveal or overlie a visible indicium, and can be connected to therod 52 or other carrier member using various configurations. For example, the connectingmember 74 b may be connected to therod 52 by welding or other fasteners. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 1-9 , the lockingsystem 50 is mounted on thecover 20 and the lockingreceptacles 22 is mounted on thereceptacle walls 14. However, in some embodiments, the lockingsystem 50 and lockingindicator assembly 70 may be mounted on thereceptacle walls 14 and the lockingreceptacles 22 may be mounted on thecover 20. - The locking
system 50 may structurally reinforce the strength of thecover 20. - Moreover, although the
padlock 60 is illustrated as a blocking or abutting therod end 52 b inFIG. 5 , other suitable configurations may be used to block therod end 52 b and maintain therod 52 in the locked position. Thepadlock 60 may be positioned in any suitable orientation. For example, thepadlock 60 may be rotated about ninety degrees with respect to the horizontal plane of thecover 20. In addition, thepadlock 60 may directly or indirectly block therod end 52 b. For example, thepadlock 60 may be attached to another component, such as a metal plate or sleeve, which blocks therod end 52 b when thepadlock 60 is in the locked position. - The
housing 84 may be sealed so that water drains out the front of thecontainer 10 away from the inside of thereceptacle 12. - The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been describe, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.
Claims (3)
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US14/231,288 US20140291325A1 (en) | 2006-11-09 | 2014-03-31 | Lock system for a container |
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US9663278B1 (en) | 2015-12-16 | 2017-05-30 | II Harold C. Daws | Container with improved locking system |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20080110893A1 (en) | 2008-05-15 |
US8684421B2 (en) | 2014-04-01 |
US20130119063A1 (en) | 2013-05-16 |
US8342580B2 (en) | 2013-01-01 |
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Legal Events
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: DELTA CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES, LLC, NORTH CAROLINA Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:DELTA CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES, INC.;REEL/FRAME:032777/0547 Effective date: 20100701 Owner name: APEX BRANDS, INC., MARYLAND Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DELTA CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES, LLC;REEL/FRAME:032774/0544 Effective date: 20120320 Owner name: DELTA CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES, INC., ARKANSAS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:COWIE, CHARLES HENRY;SAMSEL, RICHARD A.;REEL/FRAME:032774/0397 Effective date: 20070717 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |