US2116246A - Lock and switch device - Google Patents

Description

y ,1938. R. MACDONALD 2,116,246

I LOCK AND SWITCH DEVICE Filed June 20; 1934 Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STAT PAT ENT oFFics v e, 116,246 Loo-K AND swrron ayton A g "Bolier t Macdonald, Chicago, Ill. I Annamaria 20, 1934. Serial No. 731,548

shell in which is disposed a bit made of insulatingmaterial. This bit maybe provided with grooves and notches according to known devices of this character, or it may represent the replica of at least part of a fingerprint. If the bit of the key carries such a fingerprint itwill represent not only an: operating -member in "the ordinary and known sense but an operating member which carries individual identification marks; In the bit are disposed conductors forming contacts on the surface thereof, that is to say, forming contacts along its serrated portion. The lock or switching device to be operated by such a key or actuating member carries a serrated portion or ward made of insulating material and representing the counterpart of the bit. In other words, the bit of the key and the ward of the lock are each provided with an insulating member on which are disposed grooves or serrationscorrespending either to any known and desired scheme or representing characteristic lines taken from a'finger print. Conductors are also disposed in the ward portion of the switch or look, forming contacts along the serrated portion thereof and adapted to form acircuit with the contacts. and .conductors on the bit of the key or actuating member. The circuit is completed when the serrated portion of the key meshes with or engages the serrated portion of the ward for the purpose of actuating electric mechanisms to perform the locking, unlocking or other switching functions, depending on the purpose for WhichLthe device is intended. i

It may be mentioned at this point that I use the terms bit and ward in the broadest sense to designate the serrated portions on the operating member and on the corresponding member, respectively, which is disposed in the device. :'The terms key and lock orequivalents thereof are likewise used merely for thesake of convenient description. I have adopted these terms from the terminology-of locks but, his understood, that theinvention is not in anyway i device.

limited to keys and locks. It is applicableto a great variety of switching devices usedin widely different fields. s .1

In addition to the operating circuitpreviously mentioned above which is closed when-the: serrated portion of the keyis'broughtinto engagement with the serrated portion ofthe wardpI have provided a safety or hazard circuit which is actuated in case of tampering with the device. This hazard circuit comprises conductors disposed within the ward portion in the device-and also forming contacts on the serrated 'porticin thereof. The conductors corresponding to the hazard contacts on the ward are wired to. a signal or control circuit in which may be included an i alarm, if desired. This circuit is closed. at such time when a wrong key or operating memberis inserted or in case of any tampering with the An electro-magnetic device included in the hazard circuit is actuated and initiatesthe necessary signalling and control operations.

The following description and appendedclaims are chiefly directed to the features referring to the switching and locking device as disclosed in the above mentioned prior case and are also;directed to improvements on these features.

The invention will be described. with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a key or actuating member having on oneof its sides aserrated portion representing the bit; 1

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section thruan embodiment of a complete switching device; and

ig. 3 is a transverse. cross section'thru the device shown in Fig. 2, substantially along the lines 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the operatingmember shown in this figure comprises a shell orhousing designated by reference numeral ll. At one. end of this shell is a handle portion l2 which may be formed somewhat like the usual handle portion on an ordinary key. The edge 13 of this operating member may be rounded. Enclosed in the shell! I is an insulating member M having aiuniform or. sectional grooved or serrated face as shown. The serrations maybe in accordance with a specific finger print,- that is, characteristic lines may betaken from a finger print and provided on the face of the insulatingmemberJI 14 as indicated. Any other design or scheme may be used in place'of the finger print. This insu lating member contains conductors iforrning. con:- tacts on the face of the serrated portion as is his dicated in the drawing by the'reference numeral 5 shell containing the bit '91.

I5. Certain ones of these contacts may be blind, that is, may be merely contact points without serving any particular function in the circuit operations which I will presently describe, while certain other contacts are parts of or connected with the aforementioned conductors contained within the bit or enclosed thereby.

The above described switching means or key is particularly suitable in case of a device where the key is inserted and rotated in order to effect engagement of its grooved portion with the grooved face of a control member enclosed within the device. The key may also take the form of a. member that is simply pushed into the lock and the required engagement with the internally disposed control member is eifected either mechanically or electrically by moving the entire key against the enclosed control member, as described in the prior case.

In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown a switching device incorporating the :features previously indicated, with additional features appearing from :the following detailed explanation. This device uses a key-iasnoted above, that is, one which slides into the corresponding aperture of thedevice, itsactuation depending upon electrical features :described below.

The key "90 shown in Fig. '2 consists of a flat However, whereas the bit shown in the previous disclosure was fixed in "the shell of the key, the bit member 91 shown in Fig. 2 is longitudinally movable within the shell of the key. A spring 92 at one end of the bit and a spring'93 atthe other end thereof exert a pressure on the corresponding ends of the bit member9'l, holding thebit member in a predetermined "neutral position. A :groove 94 maybe "provided on the enclosed side of thebit 8'! for receiving a projection '95 rising from the material :of the shell of the -'key or provided thereon. The bit is thus longitudinally movable within the shell of the key and the limits of movement depend on the springs 92'93 and to some extent on the cooperation of the projection '95 with the notch '94. The projection 95 tends to align the bit properly within the shell of'the'key. It is understood, o'f'course, that other aligning means may be employed-in place of'those which I have shown. At the forward end of the key 90 is provided an insulating member 96 carrying a contact 91.

Since the otherimportant component "parts of.

' the device are already known from the prior case, I will limit the following explanation chiefly to thefunctions of this embodiment.

-When the 'key 9|] is pushed into the key guide 98, it will finally come to a stop at the moment when the contact 91 engages .a pair 'of contacts 99. These contacts are wired to the conductors 100-401. A circuit is now closed from the battery "I02 over the wires 'IllO-lfl'l 'to the windings of the solenoids I03 and 164 and back tothebattery IUZ by'way of conductors IDS-I06.

The solenoids attract their plungers'or armagize and drop the key guide 98.

in spite of the attraction of the key guide and key into engagement with the ward. The solenoids l03--l04 remain energized. Hazard conductors and contacts corresponding thereto are also provided in the ward I01. These hazard conductors may be grouped in any desired manner and the resulting groups may be connected to the alarm conductors ll2ll3. In case a circuit is closed either fromv ground over any of the points connected to the conductor 4 i3 or over any @pair of contacts of any group of wires connected to conductors 2-! IS, the signal device orrelay I lflenergizes in circuit with the alarm I I4, and thereby actuates the contact H0 to open the operating circuit in addition to initiating the requiredsignaling operations.

Assuming now that the key 9|] is to be with-. drawn 'from 'thedevice, a pull will be exerted on the key and this pull will first effect the spring 92 which aligns the bit 9| of the key housing. The bit itself remains in engagement with the ward 101. The spring 92 is compressed, that :is, the shell' of the'key slides to the right while the bit "remains in engagement with the ward. The circuit of the solenoids 103-404 is now broken at the contacts 91-99. The solenoids 'de-ener- The key assumes the position shown in the drawing and 'canrnow be completelywlthdrawn.

Changes and modifications may be carried out withinthescope-andspirit of the following claims in which I have defined What -I believe is new .in'the art.

I-claim as my invention: 1. A look and switch device of the class described'comprising, anenclosed substantially stationary control member, a removable key carrying gagement therebetweemsaid movable companion control member of said key remaining initially in engagement with said stationaryenclosed control member upon withdrawal 'of said key from said device, "whereby said electromagnetic means is first deenergized to release the engagement be tween said control members prior to full withdrawal of said key from saiddevice.

2. In a lock'and 'switch device, an enclosed stationary grooved control member, a removable key foroperating said device, a'movable grooved companion control memberon said key, electromagnetic-operating means, means on said key for energizing said operating means upon 'full insertionof said :key in said device whereby said key is mcvedagainst said stationary control member to effect engagement of the movable grooved control member thereon with said grooved stationary control member to actuate said device, said grooved control members remaining in engagement upon partial Withdrawal of said key until said electromagnetic means is deenergized by said "partial withdrawal-of said key whereby the engagement of said igrooved members is broken.

BpThe-structure defined in claim 2, wherein said key comprises a metallic shell having an opening, an insulating body contained in said shell and carrying a grooved face disposed in said opening, said insulating body constituting said movable grooved companion control member, resilient means for centering said insulating body withrespect to said opening and said shell, said insulating body being movable against said resilient means with respect to said shell, and contact means at the end of said key constituting said means on said key for energizing said operating means upon full insertion of said key in said device.

ROBERT MACDONALD.

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