US2168621A - Combination lock - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, l J, H LANE ET AL COMBINATION LOCK Filed June l, 1938 @Jose /L4H Zane THU/e, ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES COMBINATION. Look Joseph H. Lane, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Edwin W. North, Rockford, Ill.; said North assignor to National Lock Co., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application June 1, 1938, Serial No. 211,200

Claims.

This invention pertains broadly to locks, and more particularly to a combination key-operated and permutation-operated lock of general application, one of the principal objects being the i provision of a simplified device of this nature which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, efficient in operation, rugged and foolproof, and which has a minimum number of working parts.

Another object is the provision of a combina- `10 tion lock of the type characterized, in which there is provided a key-operated latch-actuating lever mounted for movement about the same axis as a permutation-operated mechanism, each independently cooperable with a latch bolt and operating means therefor in a manner hereinafter to be described.

Another object is the provision of a novel arrangement of a permutation-operated latch mechanism and a key-operated latch mechanism in a compact and simple structure which takes up the minimum of space and which results in a generally simplified and improved lock unit.

Another object is the provision of a bolt structure having an operating pawl arranged for cooperationV with a key-operated lever and a r0- tatable permutation device both movable relative to a common axis.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certain details of construction and operation of the device hereinafter to be described, particular mention being made of the joint permutation and key-operated structure, the latch bolt structure, and means cooperable with the permutation and key-operated mechanism for moving the latch bolt, together with details of the housing, escutcheon plate, and other features, all of which will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the combination lock mounted for use;

Fig. 2 is a side section along line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical side section to somewhat larger scale and taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front vertical section along line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a rear fragmentary vertical section through the lock mechanism looking in a direction opposite to, but substantially along the same plane as indicated by line 4-4 in Fig. 3; while Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of the device with the locking mechanism removed.

It will be understood, of course, that the lock structure hereinafter described is of general apvplication and that While specific details of construction and operation are recited herein for purposes of illustration, the objects and advantages of the invention may be achieved by other forms of construction than that specified without departing from the scope of the invention as the same will be dened hereinafter in the appended claims.`

The lock, being of general application, has been utilized in conjunction with cedar chests and the like, such an application being illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein the lock unit generally indicated at I is mounted in the front vertical Wall portion II of a chest, with a keeper or hasp I2 projecting downwardly from the lid I3 of the chest for engagement with the key and permutation-controlled latch bolt of the lock unit.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, the lock unit includes a substantially rectangular casing I5v of metal or other suitable material having upstanding side walls I6 and I'I, and there being a keeper opening I8 provided in the Wall I1 which is intended to lie flush with the edge of a closure or the like.

Pivotally mounted on the floor I9 of the housing by pin means 20, is a bolt lever 2|. The bolt lever is of somewhat elongated'form and'has a portion 22 struck up and folded in a direction back upon itself to provide a spaced extension through which the pivot pin 2li projects from the base of the housing. Projecting upwardly from the base I9 is a stop pin 23 which protrudes through an arcuate slot 24 in the lever 2| betweenthe ends of the latter, the opposite ends of this slot determining the limits of movement of the lever relative to the stop pin, and vthe latter also constituting an abutment for the end 25 of a bolt spring 26 disposed around the pivot pin 20 between the lever 2| and the upturned portion 22 thereof, the opposite end 2'I of this spring bearing against the connecting wall portion 28 on the lever extension and being effective to urge the lever in an anticlockwise direc.- tion (Figs. 4 and 6) constituting normally latched position.

A latch member or bolt in the nature of a pin or stud 29 is seatedin suitable openings between the main portion of the leverv 2l and the offset portion 22 thereof opposite kthe keeper opening I8, this `latch member being normally positioned by action of the spring 26, as seen in Fig. 4, for engagement in the notch 30 formed in the side 3| of a hook-shaped keeper projecting from a mounting plate 32 mounted on a cooperating closure member, such as the chest lid I3 of Fig. 1, by means such as the `screws 33.

The keeper projection 3| is provided with a rounded or cammed nose 34 adapted to bear against the bolt member 29 when the lid is moved to closed position, so as to pivot the bolt lever against the tension of the spring 26 to permit the keeper to project fully through the opening I8 into the lock housing, wherein the bolt member 29 will snap into the notch 30 into latched condition, as viewed in Fig. 4.

Lock means for controlling the operation of the bolt lever includes an improved combination key-operated and permutation-operated lock structure which includes a stationary mounting cylinder 40 (Figs. 3 and 4) mounted in upright position on the iloor I9 of the housing by means of a pair of diametrically opposite tabs or ears 4I (see also Fig. 6) which project from an axial end of the cylinder through suitable openings 42 in the floor I9, the ears being peened to secure the cylinder rigidly in place, there being an opening in the floor I9 concentric with ther axis of the cylinder.

A key-operated lever. 43.0f peculiar shape is mounted between the ears 4I at the bottom of the cylinder, this lever having a square or similarly keyed opening 44 concentric with thev opening therebelow in the floor of the housing and with the main axis of the cylinder. The lever 43 has a segmentally shaped projection 45 dimensioned to bear against one or the other of the cylinder tabs 4I to limit the movement of the lever in opposite directions and also serving as a gliding surface for certain permutation discs. Substantially opposite the segment 45 isa pawl engaging projection 46 provided with a hooked nose 41 adapted to engage the offset nose 48 of a bolt operating pawl 49 pivotally mounted on a headed pin 50 seated on the bolt lever 2| near its end opposite the bolt member 29. It may be observed here that the pawl49 is urged in a direction toward the keyl lever 43 and the nose portion 41 thereof by means of a spring l embracing the pin 50 and having an end portion 52 projecting through a small opening inthe pawl arm 49 with its opposite end 53 bearing against an ear 54 struck up from the bolt lever 2|. Thus, the pawl is moved with the bolt lever and has its nose portion 48 at all times urged in a direction toward the cylinder 4I) and the key lever 43.

Rotatably tted into the cylinder 40 is the barrel 60 of a tumbler lock having any desired tumbler mechanism, and in the present instance including a plurality of laterally movable tumblers or locking members 6I arranged diametrically of the barrel therein and urged by spring means 62 sof as to project through one side of the barrel'and into one of a pair of opposite axially extending slots 63 cut from the outer end of the cylinder 40 in a direction toward the bottom end thereof, means such as the key 64 being inserted in the barrel to align the locking membersGI so'asrto withdrawv all of the same'V against the tension of their respective springs 62 from the opposite axial slots, so that the barrel 60 may rotate freely in the cylinder 4U.

Extending from the'bottom end of the lock barrel 60 isa projection 65 which is square or otherwise keyedto interi-lt with the squared opening 44 in the key lever 43. A screw 66 is threaded into a tapped bore in this square projection 65 throughthe opening inthe bottom I9 of the housing and serves to retain the lock barrel 60 rotatably in place Within the cylinder 40.

.. Permutation lock means includes a disc-like knob (Figs. .1,' 2 and 3) having a bore to embrace the cylinder 40 so as to permit free rotation of the knob about the latter and having an annular ledge 1I at the outer terminus of the bore and into which is tted the rigid collar or face plate 12 of the lock barrel Ell, this arrangement preventing removal of the dial or knob when the lock barrel is secured in position by the screw 66 as aforesaid.

Extending from the inner axial face of the dial 10 is an integral collar or permutation ring 'I3 (Figs. 3 and 5), in the periphery of which there is formed a latch slot 14. Spaced a short distance circumferentially away from the slot 14 is a permutation lug which projects axially away from the collar 13 for engagement with a pin 16 (Fig. 4) on the uppermost permutation disc 11.

In the present instance, there are two permutation discs similar to the disc 11, both being tted over the cylinder 40 and being spaced from each other by a washer 18 with the topmost disc 11 spaced suitably from the inner end of the dial 10 by a washer 19, while the bottommost permutation disc 11 is spaced from the bottom of the housing by the segmental projection 45 on the latch lever 43. Projecting from the bottom of the top permutation ring 11 is a pin 80 which engages a similar pin 80 projecting from the outer or upper face of the companion permutation ring 11. By this arrangement, the dial 10 is free tobe rotated nearly 360 degrees before its lug 15 will engage the pin 16 on the top permutation disc so that the latter may be moved by the dial a similar distance, such movement being effective to cause the pin means 80 to engage the pin means of the bottom permutation disc 11', so that by manipulation of the dial in various ways the permutation discs may be moved into predetermined positions with their peripheral latch notches 8| (Fig. 4) aligned opposite the nose 48 of the pawl 49, the last movement of the dial 10 Ybeing such as to position the latch notch 14 thereof in alignment with the notches 8I in the permutation discs so that the nose 48 of the pawl may move into the aligned notches under urgence of 'the spring 5I, it being observed that such movement of the pawl does not affect the latch lever 43. j

VIn the operation of the lock, when the combination is spread, that is, when the several latch notches 8i and 14 in the permutation discs and dial are out of alignment, the nose 48 of the pawl 49 rides on the periphery of the dial ring or collar 13, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 5, the nose being prevented from dropping into the notch 14 in the dial by the permutation discs except when the latter are aligned as aforesaid. Upon insertion of a proper key 64 into the barrel 60, the tumblers are suitably drawn into the lock barrel out of engagement with the stationary cylinder 40 so that the barrel is free to rotate and turn the key lever 43 to cause the nose portion 41 of the latter to bear against the nose 48 of pawl 49 v(clockwise in Figs. 4 and 6), with the result that the bolt lever 2I will be pivoted in a clockwise direction to withdraw the bolt or latching member 29 from the notch 30 in the keeper. As soon as the turning effort is removed from the key, the lever 43 will be restored by operation of the bolt spring 26 and pawl spring 5I. When the permutation dial is properly manipulated as heretofore explained, the nose 48 of the pawl drops into the aligned latch slots where it is in position to be Vengaged by the undercut end portion 14' of the dial slot 14 and to be urged, by turning the dial in the same direction the lever 43 is turned by the key, to pivot the bolt lever as heretofore explained.

The housing I5 is provided with a face plate I4 having ears interitting with the slots I6' formed in the edge of the side I6.

As an additional structural feature of the lock, there is provided an escutcheon plate 90 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) having an embossed rim 9I providing a recess into which the dial IIJ fits snugly, there being headed pins or bolts 92 (Figs. 2 and 3) extended from the outside of the escutcheon plate beneath the dial 'I0 and threaded into sleeves 92 in the housing and projecting through the bottom of the housing and into the front wall portion I I of the cedar chest for engagement by bolts 93 which secure the lock in place, one edge portion 94 of the escutcheon plate being bent over and provided with an elongated keeper opening 95 positioned to register with the keeper opening I8 in the housing and through which the keeper part 3I projects when the lid is closed. Thus, the escutcheon plate provides a suitable facing for the lock unit and also a trim plate for the opening through which the keeper projects and which is adapted to overlie and finish the adjoining edge portion of the closure structure upon which the lock is mounted.

Various changes may be made in the particular embodiment set forth in detail herein, and it is to be understood that all such changes and all equivalent arrangements both in construction and operation of the specified mechanism are included within the call of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. In a lock, a bolt lever and means thereon for latching engagement with a keeper, a pawl arranged for movement to move said lever out of latching position, yieldable means urging said lever into latched position, a key lever arranged to be turned in a particular direction to move said pawl and said bolt lever as aforesaid, keyoperated means arranged to turn said key lever in said direction, yieldable means urging said pawl in an opposite direction toward said key lever, and permutation lock means arranged for rotative movement concentrically of said key lever and movable into a predetermined position to effect operative engagement with said pawl, subsequent movement of said permutation means in said particular direction being effective to move said pawl and move said bolt lever into unlatched position.

2. In a device of the class described, a bolt lever mounted for pivotal movement into and out of latched position, yieldable means urging said bolt lever into latched position, a key lever mounted for rotative movement, actuating means engaged by said key lever when the same is turned in a particular direction to effect pivotal movement of said bolt lever into unlatched position, keyoperated means for turning said lever in said particular direction, and permutation-operated means movable in a predetermined manner to effect operative connection with said actuating means and movable in said particular direction when said connection is effected to effect movement of the bolt lever into unlatched position.

3. In a combination lock, a key-operated barrel and means mounting the same for rotative movement, a key lever turned by said barrel, a latch bolt having spring means normally urging the same into latched position, pawl means operatively connected with said bolt and engaged by said key lever when the latter is moved in a particular direction by said barrel to move said bolt into unlatched position, permutation means arranged for rotation concentrically with said barrel and movable into a predetermined position to effect operative connection between the same and said pawl means such that when said permutation means is subsequently turned in said particular direction, said pawl means will be actuated to move said bolt into unlatched position.

4. In a device of the class described, a bolt lever .ivotally mounted between its ends, spring means normally urging said lever into latched position, a key-operated barrel arranged for rotative movement about an axis collateral with the pivotal axis of said bolt lever, a key lever turned by said barrel, permutation means arranged for rotative movement concentricallyvvith said barrel and having latching formations radial to said axis, said permutation means being manipulated to align said latch formations, a pawl pivotally mounted on said bolt lever for movement about an axis collateral with the pivotal axis of said lever, and spring means normally urging said pawl in bearing engagement against said permutation means and said key lever, said key lever being turned in a particular direction by said barrel to move said pawl. and pivot said bolt lever into unlatched position, said pawl having a portion engaging in said aligned latch formations of the permutation means, said permutation means being turned in said particular direction to move said pawl and effect movement of said bolt lever into unlatched position.

5. In a lock, permutation discs revoluble by a dial, said dial having a collar with a latch notch arranged to register with latch notches provided in said discs and aligned when the latter are positioned in a predetermined manner by manipulation of said dial, a bolt lever, a pawl arranged for movement in a particular direction to move said bolt lever, yieldable means urging said pawl against said collar on the dial, said pawl engaging in said notches when the same are aligned as aforesaid and being so arranged that upon subsequent turning of said dial in said particular direction, said pawl will be moved by the dial to effect movement of said latch lever.

6. In a combination lock, a pivoted bolt lever, a pawl pivotally mounted on said lever, permutation lock means arranged for rotation about an axis collateral to that of said bolt lever and including permutation members having radial notches aligned opposite an end of said pawl by movement of said members responsive to selection of the proper permutation combination, spring means normally urging said pawl in a direction against said permutation members for movement into said notches when the latter are aligned as aforesaid, one of said permutation members thereafter being movable .in a particular direction to move said pawl in a direction away therefrom to move said bolt lever into unlatched position, and yieldable means normally urging said bolt lever into latched position.

'7. In a combination lock, a pivoted bolt lever, a pawl pivotally mounted on said lever, permutation lock means arranged for rotation about an axis collateral to that of said bolt lever and .including permutation members having radial notches aligned opposite an end of said pawl by selection of the proper permutation combination, spring means normally urging said pawl in a direction against said permutation members for movement into said notches When the latter are aligned as aforesaid, one of said permutation members thereafter being movable in a particular direction to move said pawl in a direction away therefrom to move said bolt lever into unlatched position, yieldable means normally urging said bolt lever into latched position, and key-controlled lever means arranged for turning movement concentrically of said permutation members and movable against said pawl to move the same and effect movement of the bolt lever into unlatched position.

8. In a device of the class described, a pivoted bolt lever yieldingly urged into latched position, a pawl pivotally mounted on said bolt lever for movement substantially in the plane of said lever, yieldable means urging said pawl in a particular direction, a key lever mounted for turning movement substantially in the plane of said bolt lever and movable oppositely to said particular direction to bear against said pawl and pivot said bolt lever into unlatched position, key-operated means for turning said key lever, permutationoperated means arranged for rotation about an axis concentric with the turning axis of said key lever and having permutation aligned notches radial of said axis and into which said pawl projects when aligned by manipulation of the permutation means, said permutation means being turned oppositely to said particular direction to bear against said pawl and pivot said bolt lever into unlatched position.

9. In a lock, a pivoted bolt lever yieldingly urged into latched position, a pawl pivotally mounted on said bolt lever for movement about an axis collateral With the pivotal axis of the lever, a key lever and key-operated means for turning the same about an axis collateral to the pivotal axis of said bolt lever, spring means normally urging said pawl against said key lever, the latter being turned by said key-operated means in a direction against said pawl to move the latter and pivot said bolt lever into unlatched position, permutation means including a plurality of permutation discs mounted for rotation co-axially of said key lever and having peripheral notch formations aligned by manipulation of said permutation means and into which said pawl is urged when said notch formations are aligned with respect thereto, said permutation means being operable to turn said discs in said particular direction to bear against said pawl and pivot said bolt lever into unlatched position.

10. In a device of the class described, a bolt structure including a lever pivotally mounted between its ends and having keeper-engaging means near one of its ends, an operating pawl pivotally mounted near the opposite end of said lever for movement about an axis collateral with the pivotal axis of the lever, and spring means carried on the pivot of said pawl and bearing against a part of said bolt lever to urge said pawl in a particular direction for engagement With bolt-operating mechanism.

11. In a device of the class described, a bolt structure including a support, a bolt lever pivotally mounted between its ends on said support and having an arcuate slot radial of its pivotal mounting between said ends, abutment means projected from said support through said slot, spring means carried about the pivot of said lever and having oppositely urged portions bearing respectively against said abutment means and a portion of said lever to urge the latter in a particular direction, a pawl pivotally mounted near an end of said lever for movement about an axis collateral to the pivotal axis of the lever, spring means carried on the pivot of said pawl and having oppositely urged end portions respectively engaging said pawl and a part on said lever whereby said paWl is urged in the same direction, said pawl being constructed for operative engagement with lock mechanism effective to move said bolt lever into unlatched position through the agency of said pawl.

12. In a device of the class described, combination key and permutation-operated mechanism including a cylinder, a key-turned member supported Within said cylinder, a key lever arranged at one axial end of said cylinder for turning movement co-axially with the latter by said keyturned member, a bolt mechanism operable by said lever when the latter is turned in a particular direction, permutation means rotatably mounted on said cylinder and including permutation aligned means turned into a particular position l,

substantially in alignment with said bolt mechanism to effect operative engagement with said lock mechanism, said permutation means being turned in said particular direction subsequent to said alignment to operate the lock mechanism.

13. In a device of the class described,'combination key-operated and permutation mechanism including a mounting, a cylinder attached at one of its axial ends to said mounting, a key lever arranged for movement co-axially of said cylinder at said axial end, key-operated means rotatably mounted in said cylinder and operatively connected with said key lever, a plurality of permutation members rotatably mounted on said cylinder and dial means for turning said permutation members, said permutation members having notch formations aligned by manipulation of said dial means, a latch-operating pawl pivotally supported on said mounting, and spring means urging said pawl to dispose an end portion thereof against said key lever, the latter being turned by said key-operated means in a particular direction to move said pawl for operation of latching means forming a part of said device, said permutation members being movable to align the notch portions thereof with respect to said end portion of the pawl such that the latter Will engage in said aligned notch portions, said permutation means being turned by said dial means in said particular direction to move the pawl and operate said latching means.

14. In a device of the class described, combination key and permutation-operated mechanism including a support, a cylinder having an axial end portion thereof mounted in spaced relation to said support by means of axial extensions on its periphery at said axial end and supportably engaged with said support, a key-operated barrel in said cylinder, a key lever adapted to operate latch mechanism and mounted in the space at said axial end of the cylinder for turning movement co-axially with and by said barrel, a plurality of permutation discs mounted for rotation about said cylinder, dial means mounted for rotation about said cylinder and cooperable with said permutation discs, said discs having notch formations aligned by movement thereof by said dial, said notch formations being aligned with respect to said latch mechanism to eiTect operative engagement between the same and said dial means and said latch mechanism, for subsequent operation of the latter by the former.

15. In a device of the class described, a housing, a cylinder mounted in said housing with an axial end thereof in spaced relation to a Wall of the housing, a key lever arranged for pivotal movement limited amounts in opposite directions co-axially of said cylinder at said axial end thereof, a lock barrel mounted for turning movement in said cylinder, key-freed mechanism normally latching said barrel against movement, a plurality of permutation members mounted for rotation concentricallyabout the axis of said cylinder and having alignable notch formations radial of said axis, a latch-operating member mounted for pivotal movement about an axis collateral with the axis of said cylinder and yieldingly urged to bear against said key lever and in a direction to project a portion thereof into said notches when the same are aligned with respect to said latch operating member, knob means rotatable about said cylinder for moving said permutation members to align the notches thereof as aforesaid, whereby to eiect operative engagement between sad knob means and said latch operating member, said knob means being turned in a particularvdirection subsequent to said alignment to move said latch operating member.

JOSEPH H. LANE. EDWIN W. NORTH.

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