US2034246A - Lock - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1936. A. J. PACEWICK 2,034,245

LOCK

Filed Nov. 7, 1954 2 snees-sheet 1 m In" fag/azz@ March 17, 1936. v A l PCEWiCK l 2,034,246

LOCK

Filed Nov. 7, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to that general class of devices known as locks, and more particularly to a novel and improved construction of lock mechanismV which may be operated substantially as a permutation lock.

An object of this invention is to provide a lock mechanism of the character described which will be substantially pick-proof, and which will be capable of being made up in a large number of different combinations, but which at the same time will be readily and easily operated by the rightful owner who has knowledge of the particular combination upon which his lock is operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved lock mechanism of the character described which will consist of a minimum of parts, which may be readily assembled, and which, therefore, may be produced at a cost convenient for mass production, but which at the same time will be highly emcient for carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a lock of the character described a novel and improved operating member for actuating the same, said member having adjustably mounted stops provided thereon for co-operating with the lock in setting up the combination thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several gures of the drawings:

Figure 1 isa front elevational view of a face plater of a lock embodying the principles of my invention, the same showing the operating member for setting up the combination of this lock in operative position thereof;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational View of said face plate, shaft and operating member taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l; the locking mechanism being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through my improved operating member and shaft, taken on line 3 3 of Fig, 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of my improved operating member;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modied form of operating member;

Fig. 6 is an elevational View of said modified operating member shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of face plate associated with the locking mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevational View of a face plate shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line Ill-I of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational View of my imimproved key employed with the modification shown in Fig. '7;

Fig, 12 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line l2|2 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing a a modified form of stud or stop employed with said operating member.

Stated generally the invention relates to a permutation lock ofthe construction disclosed in my copending application led May 4, 1934, and bearing Serial No. 669,283. The present invention relates to merely the improved means for actuating the locking mechanism and the novel means for setting up the combination. As the lock mechanism per se forms no part oi' the present invention, it is not thought necessary to described the same in more detail, and merely to state that it is the same construction as that disclosed in my co-pending application Just mentioned.

Referring to the drawings more specifically by characters of reference, the numeral l 0 designates a shaft which is associated with the locking mechanism disposed in the casing A for actuating the latch of said locking mechanism. The shaft Hl may carry a knob of conventional construction when used as a house door lock, or the same may be associated with an automobile handle when used as an` automobile door lock. Assoclated with the looking mechanism and stops I3, I4 and I5, which stops will co-operate with my Vimproved operating member generally designated by the reference character I6 for setting up the combination of the lock.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, there are provided on the outer face of the face plate II the three stops I3, I4 and I5, two` of said lstops I3 and I4 are threaded into the body of the face plate, as shownin Fig. 2, and the third Vof said stops being arranged so as to permit Ypassage past thesame when the operating member kIIi is moved in one direction, but will prevent passage past the same when the key is moved Y. in the opposite direction. As shown in Figs. l and 2, the stop I5 is provided at one end with a Y combination in co-operation with the face plateV flexible metal member I1, the Vopposite end of which is rigidly secured to the underside of the face plate YII Vbymeans of the screws I8,vor in some other suitable and well known manner. A suitable opening I9 is provided in the face plate II through which said stop I5 extends. The upper edge of the stop I5 is disposed above the outer surface of the face plate II, as shown in Fig. 2, and is provided with a beveled face 20, whereby saidstop will permit movement past the same in a counter-clockwise direction, but will prevent movement past the same in a clockwise direction.

My improved operating member designated by the reference character I6 forsetting up the comprises a member shaped substantially as that shown in Fig. 4, said member having ashank portion 2| which is adapted to extend through a slot provided therefor 'in the enlarged portion 0n the outside of the shaft I0, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 Vand 3 said shank being provided with a recess 22 within which Ais adapted to be received, when' said member'is in operative position within the shaft, a ballmember 23, said ball member being y disposed within a recess cut out in the end of the shaftjsaid recess housing the coil spring 24, and being closed by means of a plug 25,`said spring being effective for normally urging said ball into the recess 22, asY 'shown' in Fig. `3. By reason of this arrangement, when the operating key` I6 is inserted within the slot, the same will be held in place therein, thereby eliminating the danger of the operating member becoming disassociated from the shaft.

The body portion of the operating member I6 is provided, as shown Vin Fig. 4, with three arcuate grooves 26, 2'I and 28. Eachof said grooves is arranged on the circumference of a circle, Athe radius of which corresponds to'the radius'of the circumference of the circle upon which the stops E3, I4 and I5, respectively, are arranged. Thus the radius of the groove 26 will be the same as'the radius of the circle Within which the stop I3 is disposed, the" radius ofthe groove 27 will be the same as that of the circumference upon` which the stop I5 is disposed, and the radiusA of the groove 28 will be the same'as that of the circumference upon'which the stop I4 is disposed. Each of said grooves Vis provided with spaced depressed portions 29 on the underside thereof, and

each of said grooves has mounted therein a stud the desired recess 29 along said groove.

36, said studs comprising a shank 3| `which extends within the groove and is adapted to ride therein, said shank having a head 32 at one end thereof and an enlarged portion 33 provided at the opposite end thereof, said portion 33 being of a size and shape adapted for disposition within the depression 29 provided on therunderside of the operating member I 6. Q

Surrounding said shank on the outer face of the operating member, as shown in Fig. 3, is a washer 34, and surrounding said Yshank adjacent the head 32 is a coil spring 35, said spring being disposed between the head 32 and the washer 34 and is adapted to normally urge said enlarged portion 33 into the` recess 29 opposite which it may be disposed. Thus, Vby pressing on the head 32, the studs may be moved along their respective grooves to bring the same into engagement with BY varying the position of the stud in its respective groove, it will be readily apparent Ythat the particular combination of the llock maybe varied. Thus a large number of combinations may be obtainedwith a particular key. Y Y

Once the studs have been set for a particular combination, in order to set up the combination and actuate the lock, it is only necessary to in sert the operating member within the shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, and to' rotate the operating member first in a clockwise direction until the stud disposed in the groove 26 is brought into engagement with the stop I3. then moved in the opposite direction until the stud dispo-sed within the groove 28 is brought into engagement with the stop I4. Byreason of the yieldable mounting provided for the stop I5, it will be readily apparent that the stud disposed The operating member is withinrthe groove 29 will readily pass over said From the above'it 'should be readily apparentV that I have provided a novel and highly simplified mechanism for actuating permutationY locks, said mechanism including an operating member which may be conveniently carried in the pocket, and by varying the positions of the studs on the operating member, the same may not be employedv by unauthorized persons to operate the lockV with'which the operating member is to cooperate in setting up the combination ofthe particular lock. Y

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the construction is substantially as thatV already described with reference tothe previous figures with the exception that the operating member may beV hinged, as shown at 36, so that the shank portion Y -v In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7 to 13,V

inclusive, a four-way combination lock is shown, and in this embodiment, there is provided a face plate 40 on the outer face of which are arranged the circumferentially disposed stops 4|, 42, 43 and 44. The stops 4l and 42 .are rigidly secured to the face plate whereas the stops 43 and 44 are yieldingly disposed on said face plate. The said stops are mounted on a fleXible metal member 45, one end of which is rigidly secured to the underside of the face plate by means of the rivets 46, or in some other suitable and well known manner.

As shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, a spacing member or block 47 is provided between the member 45 and face plate 40 so as to space the portion of the body 45 from the underside of the face plate 4Q. The stops 43 and 44 are mounted on said member 45 and lare disposed so as to extend through the openings 48 and 49, respectively, with their upper edges disposed above the outer surface of the fac-e plate 40, as shown in Fig. 9. The stop is provided with a beveled face 50 so as to permit passage thereby when the operating member l is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, and to prevent passage thereby in the opposite direction. The stop member 44 is provided with a beveled face 52 arranged in such a marmer as to permit passage thereby in clockwise direction only.

Associated with the face plate 40 is a shaft 53 which extends through the face plate and which is provided with the enlarged portion 54 through which extends a transverse slot within which the shank 55 of the operating member 5l is received. The shank 55 is provided with a depression 56 which co-operates with the ball member 51, coil spring 5t and plug 53 for detachably holding the operating member and shaft in operative assembled position.

The shaft 53 has also associated therewith a member 60 which is provided with a shank 5I re ceived in a radial slot 62 provided therefor in the shaft 53, said member G being disposed when in assembled position along the under face of the face plate 4i), as shown in Fig. 8. Said member te is shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 8 and has the beveled side edges 63 for a purpose to be presently more fully described.

The operating member 5l is provided along its body with a plurality of rows of openings B4, 65,

l 55 and 5l', said openings being arranged along the circumferences oi circles, the radii of which correspond to the radii of the circumferences of the circles along which the stops 4I, 42, 43 and 44 are arranged. Said openings 64, 65,

V- 65 and 57 `are adapted to receive therein suitable studs, which studs will co-operate with their respective stops for setting up the combination of the lock. rIlhus, as shown in Fig. 12, it is provided with a stud 68, which stud comprises a headed member 59 having an internally threaded recess 'EB within which is received in threaded engagement the screw member 'l' I. 'Ihus it will be noted that the stud 68 may be readily removed from and inserted into the various openings provided on the operating member 5|, and by arranging said studs in certain predetermined arrangements, various combinations may be obtained for the locking mechanism. A further modified form of stud is shown at 'I2 in Fig. 13, said stud comprising a headed screw, the shank of which is threaded into the opening which is also threaded.

In operation of the 'embodiment disclosed in Figs. 7 to 13, the operating member 5i is inserted within the slot of the shaft 53 with the studs 68 arranged in said operating member in their proper position for setting up the combination of the lock. The operating member is then moved in a clockwise direction to bring the stud 68 in the row 64 against the stop 4l. The operating member is then moved in a counter-clockwise direction for the purpose of bringing the stud 63 in the row 65 against the stop 42. In this latter movement it will be noted that the stud in row 65 will readily pass over the stop 43 by reason of its inclined face 50, but the stud in ro-w 61 would not pass over the stop 44 unless some means are provided for moving said stop out of the way of said stud.

The means provided include the member 60 which is adapted to engage the spring member 45 to depress the same so as tobring the stud 44 below the level of the outer surface of the face plate 4d to permit the said stud to pass this point until brought against the stop 42. This latter action will be brought about by the member 64 engaging within the depressed portion 'i3 provided in the member 45, so that as the shaft 53 is -ro tated, it will carry with it the member de which will engage within the depressed portion 'i3 of the member 45 and move the free end of said member downwardly a sufficient distance to bring the stop 44 out of the way of the stud E58 arranged in row 61. By the time the said stud is past that point, the member 60 will have moved a suilicient distance to become disengaged from the member 45, thus permitting said member to assume its normal position which is the position shown in Fig. 9.

After the operating member has been rotated in the counter-clockwise direction to the position where the stud 68 in row 65 has been brought against the stop 42, the operating member is then rotated in the opposite direction, in which direction it will be noted the s'tud 53 in row tl will readily pass over the stop 44 by reason of the inclined face 52 provided on said stop until the stud in row 56 is brought against the stop 43. During this latter movement it will be noted that the member 55 will ride on the underside of the member 45, as shown in Fig. 9, and will remain in that position so that after the stud 43 has been engaged, the rotation of the operating member in a counter-clockwise direction to bring the stud @8in row 57 to strike against the stop 44, member Eil will be inoperative for depressing the member 45 as during this last movement said member 60 will ride on the outside of said member 45. In this manner the movement ci the operating member will have been completed for setting up the combination of the locking mechanism.

Particular attention is direct-ed to the novel mechanism for permitting the operating member to travel from stop 4l to stop 42 and then back to stop 43 past stop 44 and then back again to stop 44. By providing this four-way combination it will be evident that a much larger number of combinations may be had with the same operating member in the same locking mechanism, the change in combination being brought about by simply changing the position of the studs in their respective rows. i

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages, should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and should also be manifest that while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a permutation lock, a rotatable shaft, a plurality of stops arranged circumferentially around said shaft at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting-movement past the same in one direction only, a member detachably connected With said shaft for rotation therewith, and adjustable means carried by said member to be brought into selective contact With the said stops for setting up the combination of the lock.

2. In a permutation lock, a rotatable shaft, an

operating member detachably connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a dial surrounding said shaft having a plurality of circumferentially arranged stops disposed in the path of travel of said operating member, circumferentially arranged means carried by said operating member, l

said means beinU adapted to be brought into seleotive contact with said stops for setting up the conmination of the lock, at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permittingV movement past the same in one direction only.

3. In a permutation lock, a rotatable controlling member, indicating means removably associated with said member, and adapted for rotation therewith,.a xed dial surrounding said controlling member and its associated indicating means, a plurality of stops arranged on said dial and disposed in position when said indicating means is in operative relation With said controlling'member to be in the path of travel of said indicating means, at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting movement past the same in one direction only, whereby the latter may be brought into successive contact With said stops, and means provided on said indicating means for adjustably supporting a plurality of studs in a plurality of positions thereon, said stops and studs co-operating With each other for setting up the combination of the lock.

4, In a permutation lock, a rotatable shaft, a pointer removably attached to said shaft, said pointer having a plurality of circumferentially arranged studs adjustably mounted thereon, a fixed dial having a plurality of circumferentially arranged stops Ydisposed in position for limiting the rotary movement of said pointer, at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting movement of the pointer past the same in one direction only, said stops and pointer cooperating with each other for setting up the combody portion, said body portion having a plurality of arcuate grooves arranged therein, and adjustable studs disposed within said grooves.

6. In a permutation lock, a removable member for setting up the'combination of said lock, said member including a shank portion and a body v portion, said body portion having a plurality of rovvs of openings arranged along circumferences of circles provided therein, and removable studs disposed Within said openings.

7. In a permutation lock, a plate member, and a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a plurality of circumferentially arranged stops provided on said plate member, each one of which is arranged on the circumference of a circle, the radius of which diners from that of the radii of the circles upon which the other stops are arranged, at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting movement past the same in one directionV only, and an operating member detachably associated with said shaft and having means provided Y thereon for col-'operating with said stops Vfor setting up the combination of the lock.

8. In a permutation lock, a plate member and a shaft associated therewith and arranged for relative movement thereto, Vsaid plate member having a plurality of stops provided thereon and arranged along circumferences of circles of different radii, at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting movement past the same in one direction only, and a removable operating member associated with said shaft having circumferentially arranged studsl for co-opera'ting with said stops for setting up the combination of the lock. Y

9. In a permutation lock, the combination with a piate having circumferentially arranged stops provided thereon, at leastY one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting movement past the same in one direction only, a shaft rotatably mounted in said plate and a member associated with said shaft having circumferentially arranged.

adjustable studs provided thereon for co-operating with said stops to set up the combination of the lock. Y

l0. In a permutation lock, a plate member having a plurality of circumferentially arranged stops provided thereon, at least one of said stops being yieldably mounted for permitting movement past the same in one direction only, and a removable operating member, said plate member and operating member being arranged for movement relative to each other, and means provided on said operating member for selective engagement by said stops for setting up the combination of the lock.

ALBERT J. PACEWICK.

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