US2311659A - Coin lock - Google Patents

Description

w. B.y HAsKlNs .E1-AL COIN LOCK Filed Dec. 20, 1941 Feb. Y23, 1943.

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNETED STATES PATENT FMCE COIN LOCK William B. Haskins and Hyman Schlosberg, Los Angeles, Calif.

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to locks the initial operation of which is dependent upon the insertion of a token or coin.

Among some of the more important objects of the invention are: to provide two improved cooperating bolt actuating mechanisms, the operation of some parts of one actuating mechanism at times remaining passive during the operation of the actuating parts of the other mechanism; to improve upon the coin chute mechanism and the push means, utilizing in an improved manner the medium of the coin or token as a basis where- With to produce an initial retraction of the locks bolt; and to provide in a coin lock an improved spring pressed bolt which at all times is retractable, independently of all mechanism effecting its manual retraction, by contact of such bolt with stationary parts of door structures.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coin lock particularly adapted forv use in connection with pay toilets which is simple in design, requires less effort in its manual operation, and yet is durable and also easy to manufacture and assemble.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coin controlled door locking mechanism which will be more dependable in its operation and which has operating parts of a simple, sturdy character that will wear for a long period of time without getting out of order and whichf therefore, will not be in danger of operating in such a way as to lock the occupant against egress from the room after he has used a coin to obtain ingress thereto.

Yet another obj ect of the invention is to provide, in a coin releasing mechanism, an arrangement of operating parts whereby the coin releasing action will be accomplished with the expenditure of less force.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosedmay be made within the scope of that which is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring tothe drawing wherein is shown what is deemed to be a preferredl embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevational view looking toward the inside of the lock, the plane of section being indicated approximately by the line I-I of Fig. 5. In said view is shown a coin positioned f to place the lock in condition for actuation;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 except that the lock mechanism has been actuated, completely retracting the bolt;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing the mechanism after the operating handle has been manually released and the door, to which the lock is fastened, placed in condition for being opened;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in section, the plane of the section being indicated on line 4 4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5 5 of Fig.- 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 'I-I of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the several figures shown in the drawing, the invention therein shown comprises a combination lock and coin casing I, a cover plate 2 for enclosing the actuating mecha nism of the lock and a removable door 3 providing access to the coin compartment for emptying it at desired intervals.

The casing I specifically includes a top wall 4, a bottom wall 5, parallel side walls 6 and 7, and a face wall 8 joined to the edges of all of said walls 4, 6 and 1, said plate 8 and door 3 combinedly enclosing the otherwise exposed face of the casing. Screws 9 extend through openings 9ct in the plate 2 to mount the casing upon the door or closure ID. In Fig. 1 is shown a jamb II having a keeper mechanism I2 fitted thereto which cooperates with the bolt I3 to lock the door I Il.

A bar I4 journalled in the side walls 6 and 'l' spans the space between them in a spaced relation to the face wall 8 and plate 2 and upon said bar is slidably mounted the coin carriage I5. Said coin carriage I5 includes the parallel, slightly spaced apart, upstanding plates I6 and I'I having vbetween them the coin passage I6a. As viewed in Fig. 3 the upper end of plate I6 has a short flange I8 directed toward the right, and the plate I'I has a longer flange I9 directed toward the left. When the coin carriage is reciprocated the anges I8 and I9 slide smoothly along the lower surface of the top casing wall 4, and the ange I9 also functions to close, at times, a coin admission slot 20 in the casing. The plates I6 and I I are shown as parts of a single sheet of metal having a U-bend Ib, see Fig. 6, which unites said plates. The coin oarriage is arrested at its normal position by a stop pin 8x carried by the casing wall 8.

A little above its midlength the coin carriage I 5 has a horizontally extending angular finger 2| the terminal portion 22 of which enters a spacious recess 253 in the upper side of the lock bolt I3. The plate I1 of the coin carriage carries a leftwardly projecting sleeve 24 which surrounds the bar I 4 with a working t, said bar extending from side to side of the casing and at the right side of the carriage being encircled by a compression spring 25 which returns the carriage to its normal position.

The coin carriage plates I6 and I1 are both widened throughout their lower portions as indicated at 26 on Fig, 5, thus making room for inserting between them a spacer 26a without said spacer being located in the path of the descending coin C. Said spacer 26a is apertured to provide for the passage therethrough of the carriage guide bar I4. This widened part of plate I1 is furnished with a leftwardly directed lateral extension or block 21, through the upperV portion of which is a bore 28 having a contracted portion 29 at its left end which has a loose working fit around a rod 3|, said rod at times cooperating with the coin when the latter is located between the alined apertures I5c (see Fig. 4) in the carriage walls I6 and I1 to move the carriage I5 toward the right. The rod'3l carries near its right end a pin or laterally projecting part 32 which is engageable with the annular shoulder formed by the contracted part of said bore.v Said rod 3| has its opposite end pivotedby pin 33a to the radial arm 33 fixed to the shaft 34 of the knob 35. Rod 3| carries a lateral finger `3| a to which is connected a traction spring 36 which at the proper time moves the rod to coin releasing position. s

In order to lessen the amount of force required to retract the rod 3| a lost motionconnection is provided between the knob shaft 34 and the radial arm 33 operated thereby, Accordingly Said arm 33 has an annular portion 33x loosely surrounding said shaft and an arcuate lost motion internal recess 331' is provided in said portion 33x with which cooperates a pin or screw 33s carried by the knob shaft. When the spring 36 pulls the push rod 3| out of contact with the coin it does not aiect the position of Vthe'knob or its shaft, hence a lighter spring may be relied upon safely to perform this function.

Through the lower portion of the extension 21 of the carriage plate I1 extends a bore 31 which has a working fit around the stationary coin arresting arm 4I which projects horizontally from the left side of the casing, said arm also being projectable through alined apertures in both of said plates, as will be seen from Fig. l. During the first reciprocatory movement of the carriage the terminal part 22 (see Fig. 6) carried thereby will engage the body portion ofthe locking bolt and cause said bolt to be retracted against the opposition of springs 55. A nut 1b may be welded or otherwise secured to the inner side of the casing wall 1 and have said arm screwed into it, as shown,

The coin carriage I5 also carries, near its upper end, an abutment member 42 having a shoulder 43 engageable by one arm 44 of an angular dog having another arm 45. Said dog is mounted on a pivot member 46 screwed into one of the sides of the casing, a tension spring 41 attached to .said arm causing the dog arm 44 to move toward the abutment member 42. A

The laterally recessed body portion 50 of the locking bolt structure I3 has screwed into its inner end portion an upper guide rod 5I and a lower guide rod 52, the opposite end portions of these guide rods working in bores 53 provided for them in the internal boss 54 of the casing. Compression springs 55 coiled around them normally maintain the beveled head 56 of the locking bolt in its projecting position.

Adjacent to the inner side of the door IU is a knob 56 xed to the knob shaft 56a which, in turn, has fixed to it a radial tappet arm 51 engageable both with the arm 45 of the aforementioned angular dog, and with an operating pin or screw 58 carried by the body portion of the locking bolt.

Describing certain details of the coin receiving part of the device, door 3 is shown held in place by a conventional lock assembly 3a of any desired type controlled by a key 3b".

The operation is as follows: Normally, that is when the door is closed, 'the locking bolt I3 is in the ejected position as shown in Fig,-1 and the coin carriage is at the leftward limit of its movement with the dog arm 44 resting on the right end of the abutment member 42 of the coin carriage, the coin passage |611, of the coin carriage registering with the coin admission opening or slot 26, and the coin arresting arm 4| being in a position to arrest a descending coin at a point where said coin will be abutted against by the rod 3| which is operatively connected with the lower (outside) door knob 35. Previous, however, to the insertion of the coin, operation of said knob will not affect the position of the coin carriage, because the rod 3| will pass freely through the alined pair of upper openings |5c in the carriage, opposite thereto. If now a coin be deposited and allowed to come to rest upon the coin arresting arm 4I, subsequent turning of knob 35 in the proper direction will move the carriage against the opposition of spring 25. The carriage having been moved in this manner to the right hand limit of its travel (which position is shown in Fig. 2) the coin supporting arm 4| is removed from under the coin, but the coin does not immediately drop, because of the pressure of the rod 3| thereagainst. Thereupon, when the operator removes his hand from said knobfthe spring 36 retracts the rod 3 I, the carriage follow.- ing up the retracted rod for a short distance till the dog arm 44 prevents further movement of the coin carriage in this direction, whereupon still further retraction of said rod 3| by the spring 36 withdraws said rod from the coin andY allows it to fall, as indicated in Fig. 3, into the receptacle provided therefor. While the mechanism is in this position, shown in Fig, 3, the locking bolt is free to be retracted against the opposition of the springs 55. The above mentioned further retraction of the rod 3| by the spring 36 does not affect the position of the knob shaft 34, owing to the lost motion connection between said Ashaft and its radial arm 33, and therefore is effected by the expenditure of a minimum amount of force.

When it is desired to open the inside the operator will turn the knob 56 and its shaft 56a in the proper direction to cause the tappet arm 51 to act simultaneously `upon the pin 58 carried by the locking bolt and upon the dog leg 45, thus releasing the arm 44 from the abutment member 42 of the coin carriage. Thereupon, when said knob 56 has been released, the coin carriageis moved to its normal position by the action `of spring 25 and at the same time locking bolt is freed to be moved by its springs 35 to ejected position. 'At

this time all parts of the mechanism will resume the original positions, shown in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

l. A casing, a coin carriage mounted within said casing to reciprocate horizontally, said carriage including a coin chute positioned to conduct coins downwardly, said chute having opposed side walls each containing an upper opening opposite to that of the other, said chute having subjacent to said upper openings alined lower openings through its sides, a horizontally extending coin. arresting arm carried by the casing in a position to project through said lower openings to support the coin in alinement with said upper openings when said carriage is in its normal position, a bolt having a door locking head, said bolt being mounted in the casing to reciprocate in a direction parallel to that in which said carriage reciprocates, spring means tending to eject said bolt, an arm carried by said carriage and positioned to contact with said bolt and retract it when said carriage is moved in the direction which said bolt retracts, and means to move said carriage in the direction last recited, said carriage moving means including a knob exterior to the casing and a rod operatively connected with said knob for longitudinal reciprocation, said rod being in alinement with the aforesaid upper openings of the coin carriage to push against an inserted coin and thereby move said carriage in a direction to cause its aforesaid arm to engage and retract the locking bolt.

2. In a structure of the kind described, the combination, with a casing and a horizontally reciprocatory door locking bolt mounted therein; of coin controlled means to operate said bolt, said coin controlled means including a coin carriage mounted in the casing to reciprocate in the same general direction as said bolt, said carriage including adjacent side walls having a downwardly extending coin passage between them, there being through said walls a pair of upper alined openings one at each side of said passage and subjacent to said upper openings a pair of lower alined openings through said walls one at each side of said passage. a stationary coin arresting arm carried by the casing to at times project across the space between said lower openings, a push rod to operate said coin carriage by being longitudinallf,T moved into an abutting relation to the in- 1 chored to the casing and connected with said rod to automatically retract it after its manual opere ation.

3. A casing. a coin carriage mounted within said casing to reciprocate horizontally, said carriage including a coin chute positioned to conduct coins downwardly, said chute having opposed side walls each containing an upper opening opposite to that of the other, said chute having subjacent to said upper openings alined lower openings through its sides, a horizontally extending coin arresting arm carried by the casing in a position to project through said lower openings to support the coin in alinement with said upper openings when said carriage is in its normal position, a bolt having a door locking head, said bolt being mounted in the casing to reciprocate in a direction parallel to that in which said carriage reciprocates, spring means tending to move said bolt to ejected position, means carried by said carriage to retract said bolt when the carriage is the casing operatively connected with said knob for longitudinal movement, said rod being in alinement with the aforesaid upper openings of the coin carriage to push against an inserted coin and thereby move said carriage in a direction to cause said bolt operating means to retract the locking bolt, said carriage being furnished with a stop shoulder, a dog positioned to engage said shoulder at a position wherein the coin supporting rod is retracted in relation to the carriage to a coin releasing position, spring means mounted in the casing tending to move said carriage back to its normal position, a tappet arm mounted within the casing, and manually operable means exterior to the casing to swing said tappet arm in a direction to engage and release said dog and by the same movement engage and retract said locking bolt.

4. A casing, a coin carriage mounted within said casing to reciprocate horizontally, said carriage including a coin chute positioned to conduct coins downwardly, said chute having opposed side walls each containing an upper opening opposite to that of the other, said chute having subjacent to said upper openings alined lower openings through its Sides, a horizontally extending coin arresting arm carried by the casing in a position to project through said lower openings to support the coin in alinement with said upper openings when said carriage is in its normal position, a bolt having a door locking head, said bolt being mounted in the casing to reciprocate in a dire-ction parallel to that in which said carriage reoiprocates, spring means tending to eject said bolt, a part projecting from said carriage to contact with said locking bolt and retract it when said carriage is moved away from its normal position in the direction in which said bolt retracts, a horizontally extending rod mounted within the casing with one of its end portions in a position to be abutted against a coin of greater diameter than the aforementioned upper pair of openings in the coin chute when said coin occupies the space between such openings, said carriage having a lateral extension provided with a bore through it which is in axial alinement with the openings of said upper pair of openings, the outer end portion of said bore being diametrically contracted to t around said rod with a loose working fit, the adjacent end portion of said rod carrying a lateral projection to engage the shoulder resulting from the diametrical contraction of said bore, spring means tending to move said carriage toward its normal position, stop means to arrest the movement of said carriage when it reaches its normal position, a dog positioned to engage a part of the carriage to at times arrest the movement of said carriage at a point wherein the aforementioned coin supporting arm unobstructs the space beneath the coin, means exterior to the carriage operatively connected with the aforesaid coin abutting rod to move the carriage to the limit of its travel away from its normal position, a spring operatively connected with said rod to withdraw the rod after being manually operated, a tappet arm movably mounted Within the casing, and means exterior to the casing to move said tappet arm in a direction to cause it to release said dog from the part of the carriage with which it is engagable, the same movement of said tappet causing it to engage a part of the locking bolt and retract the latter to an unlocked position.

5. In a structure of the kind described, the combination, with a casing and a horizontally reciprocatory door locking bolt mounted therein# of coin controlled means to operate said bolt, said coin controlled means including a coin carriage mounted in the casing to reciprocate in the same general direction as said bolt, said carriage including adjacent side walls having a downwardly extending coin passage between them, there being through said walls a pair of upper alined openings one at each side of said passage, means positioned to at times enter said coin passage at a point subjacent to said openings to support a coin between them, a push rod to operate said coin carriage by being longitudinally moved into an abutting relation to the inserted coin when the latter occupies the space between said upper openings, means including a knob exterior to the casing to manually operate said rod in a direction to act against said coin, and a spring anchored to the casing `and connected withsaid rod to automatically retract it after its manual operation.

6. The subject matter of claim 5 and, there beingy a lost motion connection between said knob and push rod which enables said spring to retract said rod slightly while said manually opera-

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