US2123993A - Lock - Google Patents

Description

July 19, 1938.

D. s. GElsER LOCK Filed March 13, 1936 man Hilf S l l all Patented July 19, 1938 FATE 'l' FFECE LOCK Daniel S. Geiser, Waynesboro, Pa.

Application March 13, 1936, Serial No. 68,729

12 Claims.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and eifective means for controlling the character of the key to be inserted in the lock, said means being readily a1- terable in order to accommodate various forms of keys of the general type and exclude improper keys.

A further object is to provide novel key operated means that will require the service of a particular type of key that can be inserted in the above mechanism, and which operates through frictional contact, thereby making it practically impossible to pick the lock, or in other words surreptitiously operate it by means other than the authorized key.

The invention may be applied to any form of key operated lock.

One embodiment of the invention in which the device is shown applied to a door knob is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a portion of a door in which the embodiment of the invention is installed.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure l, and showing the locking mechanism in its effective relation with respect to the operating knob.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the locking mechanism coupling the knob to the latch bolt operating means.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the key-receiving knob.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view with the sections of the key guard separated.

Figure '7 is a detail sectional view through the coupling plunger.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure '1.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the plunger operating cam device.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 1l. is a View of the other end of said cam device to that shown in Figure 9.

Figure l2 is a perspective view of a key for use with the device.

A horizontal sectional portion of a door .is shown at i2, the same being mortised to receive a reciprccatory latch bolt I 3. Extending across the door is a knob spindle It having the usual cam or other device I5 for operating the latch. One end of this spindle projects from one side of the door and has iixed thereto the usual knob IG by which the spindle can be turned, to operate the latch bolt in a well-known manner.

Mounted on the side of the door opposite to that from which the knob I6 projects, is an escutcheon plate I'I carrying an outstanding sleeve I 3 that provides a shield as hereinafter explained. The end of the spindle I4 projects into the shield and is provided with a head I9. An outer knob is provided with a tubular shank 2| that is rotatable within the shield sleeve i8 and around the head I9, the same being secured in place by a holding washer 22 mounted on its inner end and located behind the inner end of the sleeve I8.

The head I9 and consequently `the spindle Ill is adapted to be coupled to the knob shank 2| in order that the spindle and consequently the latch bolt I3 can be operated. For this purpose the said head I9 has a transverse socket 23 in which is a transversely reciprocatory coupling plunger 24 whose outer end is adapted to move into and out of one of a set of openings 25 formed in the tubular shank 2|. When the plunger 24' is out of such engagement, or as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the knob 20 is free to rotate and can have no effect on the spindle M. When the plunger 24 is in one of the openings 25, or as shown yin Figure 3, it Will be obvious that when the knob 20 is turned, the head I9 and the spindle Hl will be rotated, thereby actuating the latch bolt.

The plunger 24 is operated by a cam piece 26 located longitudinally in the head i9 and rotating on the axis thereof. 'Ihis cam piece has a rounded face 2l and a flat face 28 adapted to respectively bear against a follower 29 slidably mounted in a socket 3B of the plunger, said follower in turn operating against a spring 3| that bears against the end of the plunger. If the cam piece is turned so that the follower 29 rests against the flat side 28 of the cam piece 26, or as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plunger will be in its inactive position and the spring bearing against the flat face, will hold the cam against rotation. If, however, the cam piece is rotated, so that the rounded face 27 bears against the follower 29, or as shown in Figure 3, then through the intermediate spring 3| the plunger will be forced outwardly, so that if the knob is turned until one of the openings 25 registers with said plunger, it will snap into the opening. The knob Will be thereby locked to the head I9 and if the knob is now turned, it Will turn the spindle S4 and actuate the latch bolt. It will be noted incidentally that these parts are entirely housed within the shield sleeve I3 of the escutcheon plate.

The cam piece 26, it will be noted, extends transversely through the plunger and has bearings on opposite sides of the same in the head I9. When the plunger is retracted the follower 29 rests upon the flat side 26 of the cam piece. When the plunger is projected and is borne against by the rounded side of the cam piece 26, the flat side thereof bears against the flat ends 24a of the openings and thus there is no tendency of the cam piece to accidentally turn. The cam piece 26 in turn is key-operated and for that purpose it has at its outer end a head 32 which is preferably provided with an outwardly opening .and inwardly tapered socket 33 whose side Walls are smooth.

The key preferably employed is shown at 34, and includes a shank 35 that is twisted or substantially of screw shape. The twisted shank of the key may be provided with scores 35o. The inner end or bit 36 of this key is tapered, the taper corresponding substantially to the taper of the socket 33 so that the edges of the bit will frictionally bear against the side walls of the socket. By forcing the key in, therefore, .a sufficient frictional grip will be obtained between the key and the head so that the cam piece 25 can be turned either tol project the plunger or to permit its withdrawal. The provision of a rounded socket allows the entrance of a key in any position instead of requiring it to be in a definite position with respect to the head 32 and also accommodates the twisted end of a spiral key.

In order to insure that the lock will only be operable by a predetermined authorized key, a guard is placed in the tubular shank of the knob 20 between the keyhole 31 of said knob and the head 32 of the cam piece 21. 'I'his guard consists of detachably telescoped tubular sections 38 and 39, each having an end wall provided with a passageway in the form of slots 40 and 4l. The key guards are relatively rotatable, that is to say, when separated as shown in Figure 6, the position of one with relation to the other can be changed and the sections again intertted. In order to hold them against relativ-e rotation when intertted, any suitable means may be employed, but in the structure shown the exterior wall of the section 39 is provided with ribs 42 and the internal wall of the other section 38 has grooves 43 that receive the same. It will be evident therefore that by changing the relation of the sections the relative angularity of the two passageways or slots 40 and 4l can be altered and consequently the pitch of the twisted key shank that can pass through the two passages. The same effect may be obtained by changing the distance between the end walls of the telescoped sections. By placing them farther apart or closer together, the pitch of the key that can pass through both passages is changed. In order to accurately and positively space the two walls, washers 4la may be inserted within the outer tubular section 38 and between its end wall and the inner end of the inner section 39. Thus any one of a. set of keys having shanks provided with different degrees of pitch can be made to become operable by either of the adjustments while others are excluded. The guard as a whole it will be understood is rotatable within the knob shank 2| and there is preferably interposed between the rear end of the guard and the front end of the head 32 an antifriction washer 44.

The side of the key passages 40 and 4l of the guard sections are provided with suitable projections 45 to cooperate with the scores 35a of the key shank to exclude improperly scored keys and further safeguard the lock against operation by unauthorized keys,

The lock functions as follows. When the coupling plunger 24 is in its retracted and inactive relation, the latch bolt I3 can only be operated by the inner knob I6, the outer knob being freely rotatable without effecting any operation of the lock. With this structure it will be noted particularly by reference to Figure 5 that the eX- posed opening to the interior of the lock through the slots 40 and 4l is very small, being merely the intersecting portions of the slots. Moreover the key-receiving socket of the cam piece having smooth walls, leaves nothing to be engaged by any unauthorized device that may be passed through the keyhole and engaged with the socket piece. The danger of effectively tampering with the lock is thus reduced to a minimum.

When the proper key is inserted, it will obviously pass through th-e slots 40 and 4l and slightly turn the guard until the inner end or bit of the key is frictionally engaged with the walls of the socket. When so engaged approximately a one-half turn to right or left of the key will positively rotate the cam piece, thus forcing out the plunger and as already explained, coupling the outer knob 2li to the spindle. Consequently when said knob is turn-ed the latch bolt will be withdrawn. If an attempt is made to use a key having a pitch different from that of the proper key, it will be evident that it cannot enter because the relation of the slots 4) and 4I will prevent its passage.

It will be readily appreciated that any form of rotatable lock operating mechanism may be substituted for the cam piece, and that this device may therefore be applied to any form of key operated lock.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination with a key-receiving casing, of a key guard comprising sections having passageways for the shank of the key, said sections being relatively adjustable to vary the relative position of the passageways and thereby govern the character of the key shank that can be effectively engaged therein.

2. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination with a key receiving casing, of a key guard comprising sections having passageways for the shank ofthe key, said sections being relatively adjustable to vary the relative position of the passageways and thereby govern the character of the key shank that can be engaged therein, and means for securing the sections against relative movement and in different adjusted positions.

3. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination with a key-receiving casing, of a key guard comprising telescoped sections having passageways for the shank of the key, said sections being relatively angularly adjustable to vary the relative position of the passageways and thereby govern the character of the key shank that can be engaged therein, and a plurality of ribs in the meeting surfaces of. the sections for securing the sections against relative rotation and in different adjusted positions.

4. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination with a key-receiving casing, of a key guard comprising sections having passageways in which the screw-like portions of the key shank can simultaneously be engaged, said sections being relatively angularly adjustable to vary the relative positions relation of the passageways and thereby change their pitch and govern the pitch of the key shank that can be engaged therein, and means for securing the sections, in their adjusted relative positions.

5. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination v/ith a key-receiving casing, of a key guard comprising detachably interfitting angularly adjustable sections having interlocking portions and each section having a passageway for the key shank and said passageways being brought into different relative positions when the sections are relatively rotated and interlocked in different positions to control the character of the pitch of the key shank that can be eiectively engaged therein.

6. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination With a casing having a key entrance opening and a device therein to be operated by the key, of a key guard interposed between. the entrance and the device and comprising angularly adjustable intertted sections having passageways through which the screwlike shank of the key passes, said sections being relatively rotatable to change the relative positions of the passageways and thus vary their pitch and the consequent pitch of the key shank that will pass therethrough, and a plurality of flutes in the meeting face of the interitted sections for securing the shanks against relative rotation and in different adjusted relations and whereby a multiplicity of different adjustments may be made.

7. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination with a key-receiving casing, of a key guard comprising spaced Walls, the Walls having slot-like passageways arranged in relatively angular relation for the shank of. the key, and the distance between the Walls being adjustable to vary the relative positions of the passageways and thereby govern the character of the key shank that can be engaged therein.

8. In a lock for operation by a screw-like key, the combination with a key-receiving casing, of a key guard comprising adjustably telescoping sections, each section having an end Wall spaced from the end wall of the other section, and the end walls having slot-like passages in relatively angular relation for the screw-like shank of the key, and means for securing the sections in adjusted positions whereby the pitch of the key shank that will pass through the passageways is controlled.

9. In a lock, the combination with a latch bolt and spindle for operating the same, of a knob freely rotatable with respect to the spindle and having a chambered shank, a coupler for connecting the knob and spindle, and a rotatableY device for operating the coupler and having a tapered substantially smooth walled socket for frictional engagementby the tapered end of a key and operable by such frictional engagement.

10. In a lock including a latch bolt and a spindle for operating the same, the said spindle having a transverse bore and a knob freely rotatable with respect to the spindle and having a chambered shank surrounding the spindle, a coupler movable from an inoperative position within the bore of the head to an extended position in engagement with the knob shank for connecting the spindle and knob, and a rotatable cam for moving the coupler having means for engagement and operation by a key.

11. In a lock, the combination with a latch bolt, of a rotatable spindle for operating it having a head, a rotatable knob having a tubular shank rotatable about the head, a transverse plunger in the head movable into and out of engagement with the knoby shank to couple the two, a cam rotatably mounted in the head and engaging the plunger to actuate it, a substantially smooth Walled socket piece carried by the cam, and key-receiving mechanism in the knob including a guard interposed between the end of the knob and said socket piece, and comprising angularly adjustable sections having passageways that can be set in diierent angular relations to permit the passage o1 the screw-like shank of a key having a certain corresponding pitch and preventing the passage of. those of other pitches and giving access of the proper key to the socket piece of the cam.

12. In a lock including a latch bolt, a spindle for operating the latch bolt, the said spindle having a head provided with a transverse bore, a knob having a tubular shank rotatably surrounding the head of the spindle and having a series of spaced sockets for registering with the bore, a coupler slidably mounted within the bore of the head for coupling the knob shank and head, a rotary cam mounted in the head for moving the coupler into and out of engagement with the sockets of the knob shank, and a spring interposed between the cam and the coupler.

DANIEL S. GEISER.

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