US2637195A - Keyless tumbler lock - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1953 W. W. HURTEL KEYLESS TUMBLER LOCK Filed-July 12, 1949 Patented May 5, 1953 illiliib'.

PAYNE' OFICE i3 Claims.

This invention relates to a keyless tumbler lock, being an improvement upon the keyless lock patented to me August 27, 1946, Patent No. 2,406,332.

In the loch: described in my said patent, in order to change the tumbler combination it is necessary to remove the back portion of the casing and substitute therefor another back, whereas in the preferred embodiment of the present invention it is only necessary to open up the casing and rearrange the tumblers and tumbler stops in order to produce a new tumbler combination. In the structure shown in the aforesaid preferred embodiment the aforesaid advan tage is obtained by one of the side walls of the casing of the lock being provided with a series of internally projecting tumbler supports which project through cut-outs in the tumblers. and the tumblers normally gravitate to (or may be spring impelled to) positions wherein their movement is stopped or their weight supported by said projecting tumbler supports.

Among the objects of the present invention are, not only to improve the lock structure in the above mentioned particular, but also to simplify and lower the cost of manufacture of the casing and the tumblers and to simplify the as sembling of the lock.

By the present invention there is also provided an improved carrier for the locking bolt, said improved carrier being so constructed that tumbler engaging stops thereon may be rearranged when it is desired to change the combination of the lock.

Still another object is to provide a means for operating the lock from the back or inner side of the door of a r-oom so that there will be no likelihood of a person occupying the room being locked in.

In regard to lowering manufacturing costs, this is accomplished in one embodiment of the invention by providing the casing of the loci; with a wall member which carries a sectional tumbler supporting flange from which the consumer to whom the lock is sold may break away some of the sections leaving such sections as red uired for making the tumbler combinations he desires. In another embodiment of the invention cost of manufacture is still further reduced, by the provision of a simplified. elongated locking bolt carrier with adjustable tumbler stops frictionally held in place thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to improve upon my aforesaid patented lock by providing a bolt retracting means operable by the one and same hand which the operator is using selectively to move the proper tumblers to lock bolt releasing position.

Other objects. advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the lock as it appears when mounted upon a door, a fragment of which is shown.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the embodiments of the device with the face plate and operating knobs removed. the tumblers all being held by gravity in the down or normal position, the lock in such case always being locked. In this View some interior parts are broken away, better to disclose underying structure.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a lock bolt retracting means manually operable inside the door.

Fig. e is a perspective View of a fragment of the sectional tumbler supporting flange located in the upper back portion of Fig. 2, it being understood that in Fig. 2 certain sections of said flange have been broken away by the user of the loclr to produce the desired combination of tumbler supports.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view separately showing the three different types of tumblers used in the lock.

Fig. '7 is a front elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention with the face plate and the operating knobs removed, the tumblers all being held by gravity in the down or normal position wherein certain of them lock the bolt against retraction. In this view some parts are broken away better to illustrate underlying structure, and the casing is provided with a simple, straight top flange which can be manufactured at a lower cost than the flange structure shown in Figs. 2 and ll.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the bolt carrier shown in Fig. 7. In this view one of the adjustable tumbler stops is shown in full lines removed from the carrier: its attached position being indicated by dotted lines. Part of the bolt carrier is broken away to disclose structure that would otherwise be hidden.

Fig. 9 is a cross section on line 9 9 of Figs. 2 and 7, a fragment of the door being included in the View.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on line Ill- I0 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the thumb-operable locking bolt retractor, on line II-II of Fig. 12.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of said bolt retractor on line I2-I2 of Fig. 11.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention which will first be described comprises a generally rectangular face plate I4, back plate I and fastening bolts I6 passing through corner portions of the casing to hold the two plates together and to attach the lock to the door Il. Suitable flanges are shown on said plates to close in the sides and the ends of the casing, said face plate I4 having along its upper edge a backwardly directed flange I'4a, and along its lower edge an interrupted backwardly directed flange I4b. Said flange I4a overlies an inwardly directed top flange I5a of the back plate I5, said flange I5a having a downward extension I5b terminating in a backwardly directed lip portion I5c. Along its lower edge said back plate I 5 has a forwardly directed interrupted flange I51Z.

The flange portions I4b and I5d are cut away as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 to provide an opening I9 that affords manual access to the liftable tumblers described later. Also, as shown in Fig. 5 the front wall I4 is provided along the upper side of the opening with a backwardly curved lip I9a.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the top flange portion of the back wall I5 of the casing comprises a series of sections separated by cuts 2| so as to enable the purchaser of the lock, by breaking away certain sections to leave selected sections which produce the desired combination of tumbler supports.

The locking bolt 22 is carried internally by a bolt carrier 23 in relation to which said bolt is longitudinally moveable. Said bolt carrier, separately shown in Fig. 8, forms a part of the shiftable locking means and comprises a channel shaped metal bar mounted in said casing with its open side directed horizontally and toward the back wall I5 of said casing.

Upon the long edge portion of the upper flange 24 and of the lower flange 25 of the bolt carrier is detachably and adjustably mounted a series of stop members 26, all shaped and dimensioned the same, and a double width stop member 21', carried by the lower flange 25. However, all these stop members may be identical as to size and shape, in which case two of them may be attached against each other to perform the function of the double width member.

Each stop member 26 is shown consisting of a resilient metal clip made of a short strip or strap of spring metal, or else these clips may be cut and formed from a previously provided piece 0f square stock tubing and then pressed into place upon the flange portion 24 and 25 of the bolt carrier 23. In making these clips the tube may be previously slitted, or each clip may be slitted after it is cut oi. Each of the stop members 26 has a straight middle run 29 from one end of which extends at right angle a straight clamping jaw 30. From the opposite end portion of each member 26 extends a second run 3| terminating in an inwardly directed lip 32 which cooperates with the aforesaid jaw 30 to complete the clamping function when said clips are in the embracing, clamping relation to the edge portions of the bolt carrier 23.

When the clips or stop members 26 are manufactured by being cut off from square stock tubing, the newly cut off stops or clips will be 0f a more angular shape thanshcwn in Fig. 8, but

the act of forcing them onto the flanges of the bolt carrier 23 will cause them to assume substantially the shape shown in this View, and when said clips are in place the back run 29, together with the adjacent portions of parts 3l and 32 of each clip, will form the required tumbler controlled stop means, at times preventing the retraction of the bolt and the bolt carrier, as will later be explained.

As viewed in Fig. 8 the bolt carrier 23 has a transversely extending flange 33 at its right hand end which has a substantially semicircular notch 34 to receive the stem portion 35 of the already mentioned locking bolt 22. Said stem 35 carries a head 31 against which operates the lock bolt extending spring 38, retraction of the bolt being effected when the flange 33 is caused to force Said head toward the right from the position thereof shown in Fig. 2. The free end portion of a swingable arm 40 (see Figs. 2 and 9) is positioned to act against said head 31, at times manually to retract the locking bolt independently of its carrier against the opposition of the spring 38. Said arm 40 is fixed to a sectional rock shaft 4I that carries axially at its inner end a cup-shaped part 42 turnably fitted over a bearing sleeve 43 instruck from a rectangular mounting plate 44 abutted against the outer casing wall I4. Said plate 44 has ange portions 45 on three sides to hold it in place along with adjacent parts of the lock.

Said cup shaped part 42 carries a square shank 46 which forms a part of the already mentioned sectional shaft 4I. said arm 4!) having through it a square aperture fitted onto said shank. Said square shank 46 fits into the next adjacent square sleeve section of the shaft structure 4I detailed in Fig. 3. This sectional shaft sleeve structure is provided to enable the user to accommodate the lock to doors of different thickness, only two of the square sleeve sections being used to accommodate the thickness of the door fragment shown in Fig. 9, the remaining two sleeve sections having been bro"en off and discarded. The break-off cuts 4Ia surround said sleeve structure but do not extend quite to the passage therethrough (see Figs. 3 and 9) enough intact material being left to insure the required strength when a plurality of the sections are used. A knob bearing member 48 is shown in Fig. 9 attached to the door I1. Through this member turnablv passes a square outer section 4S of the shaft structure 4I, said section being made a part of the knob 50, and its inner end portion fitting into the adjacent square sleeve of the sectional shaft structure. A washer 5I and retaining pin 52 complete this part of the structure.

The tumbler assembly used in the present invention differs from that disclosed in my aforesaid patent mainly in providing each of the tumblers in its midlength portion with a slot 6D. With the slots 60 of the tumblers cooperate tumbler hanger means shown as tumblel` supporting lugs or projections 6I which project into the casing from its back wall I 5, preferably being struck out from said wall as shown in Fig. 10.

In each of the two illustrated embodiments of the invention there are shown, by way of example, three different types of tumblers, there being three tumblers 62, three tumblers 63 and one tumbler 64, the special tumbler 64 being shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 6. Of the three tumblers of the type 62 shown in the left hand portion of Fig. 6. each has a forwardly deflected upper end portion 66, preferably integral therewith, and at its lower end a forwardly directed angular end portion el with an outer upwardly extending part 68 which at times cooperates with the stops of the bolt carrier As to the other set of three similar tumblers (i3, each tumbler is likewise provided with the ilange portions G6 and 6T, butin the tumblers 63 a much shorter extension @3x takes the place of said flange t8. Said tumblers 63 are also each provided with a downward extension iis of each of their top anges G6. The tumbler 64 differs from the tumbler 53 only that a portion iisd of the former tumbler is extended at one side of the tumbler so as to reach over into the same obstructing relation to the locking bolt carrier as the aforementioned part E9 of the tumbler 63. This feature is disclosed in my aforesaid patent.

In Fig. 2 one of the tnmblers til is located at the left end of the tumbler series, and the tumbler iid having the extension 68a is the second of the series. Continuing progressively to the right, the tumblers 62 and 53 alternate to the end of the series, seven tumblers being shown. Also the bolt carrier, as shown in its mounted position in Fig. 2, has its stop members it positioned as more clearly shown in Fig. 8. With the parts thus shown, in order to release the carrier and locking bolt therein the operator will raise the two tumblers at the left of the series (a tumbler te and the special tumbler Gil), together with the fourth and sixth turnblers, the latter two being its. If, while performing this operation, the operator disturbs the position of any of the other tumblers, he will be unable te retract the locking bolt. The lower end portion lil of each 2 of the tumblers (shown exposed through the casing slot i9 in Fig. l), will be sufficiently wide to accommodate a finger of the operator, so that he may lift any tumbler, or required set of tumblers, with his ngers, without displacing the adjacent tumblers.

In Figs. 1 and l0 is shown the knob l@ for retracting the bolt and bolt carrier when the tum-- blers are in the releasing position. Said knob is furnished with a stem ll which extends through and works in a slot in the front wall of the casing and is attached to the bolt carrier 23.

In Figs. l, 1l and 12 is shown a swingable bolt retracting member I3 which is operable by the thumb of that hand of the operator the lingers of which are holding the required tumblers in the d bolt releasing position. Said swingable member 'i3 is carried by a rockable stud 'lli having a squared inner end portion which carries an operating finger lil which extends through a small opening in the bolt carrier 23 and into a depression in the locking bolt 22, so as to be in an operative relation to the bolt and bolt carrier.

Instead of being made from strap material the tumblers 62 and 53 may be made from stock bar material or from tubing of the correct size. In case bar metal 0r tubing is used the tuinblers will be produced by cutting instead of by bending as is done with strap metal. When bar metal is used, the spaces underlying the iianges t8, @Sx and 59 will be occupied by solid metal.

In the operation of the device, which is for the most part the same as that described for my aforesaid patented lock, with the tumbler arrangement shown in the drawing, normally the flange portions 69 of the three tumblers 63 and flange portion 68a of the tumbler Ell cooperate with the upper row of stops 26 (see Fig. 8), to prevent retraction of the locking bolt carrier and bolt therein, and the operator must know the 6. combination or he will not understand that the aforesaid combination of tumblers must be lifted to release the bolt. If the operator inadvertently or unadvisedly lifts anyof the other tumblers, their lower flange portions will cooperate with the lower row of stops 26 to obstruct the retraction of the bolt.

The means shown in Figs. 2 and 9, operated by the knob 50, (said means not being shown in my aforesaid patent), may be used to unlock the door from the inner side thereof.

l claim:

l. In a keyless loc-k of the kind described, a casing, an elongated, at times longitudinally movable locking bolt carrier mounted in said casing, a locking bolt carried by said carrier and independently movable in a lengthwise relation thereto, a spring within said casing tending to` project said locking bolt, the latter being given a retractive movement independent of said carrier by closing the door, said carrier consisting of a channel shaped metal bar mounted in said casing with its open side directed horizontally, said bar comprising a pair of flanges united by a web a series of stop clamps detachably supported in a friction tight manner on each of said flanges, said stop clamps being attachable in the desired adjusted positions to predetermine the tumbler stop combination, a series of elongated tumblers the individuals of which extend in a crosswise adjacent relation to the carrier to cooperate with said stop clamps and are movably mounted within said casing for selective manual longitudinal movement to adjust them to release said carrier to permit its retraction together with the locking bolt which it carries, and manually operable means carried by said casing to retract said carrier and bolt.

2. In a keyless lock of the kind described, a casing, an elongated, at times longitudinally movable locking bolt carrier mounted in said casing, a locking bolt carried by said carrier in a guideway provided therefor in the latter, a spring within said casing tending to project said locking bolt, the latter being given an independent movement by closing the door, said carrier consisting of a single strip of rigid material having longitudinal edge portions, a series of stop members secured to and adjustable longitudinally along said edge portions to predetermine the tumbler' stop combination, a series of elongated tumblers the individuals of which extend in a crosswise adjacent relation to said carrier to cooperate with said stop members and are supported by said casing for selective manual longitudinal movement to adjust them to release the carrier to permit its retraction-together with the locking bolt whichit carries, and manually operable means carried by said casing to retract said carrier and bolt.

3. rlibe subject matter of claim 2, and said casing having internal projections passing loosely through said tuinblers to support them and guide their' movement.

e. The subject matter of claim 2, and said casing having an upper wall portion with a downwardly and inwardly directed portion which forms a substantially horizontal ledge, certain of said tumblers normally being supported by said ledge.

5. In a keyless lock of the kind described, a casing, an elongated shiftable locking means mounted within said casing for longitudinal movement and including a locking bolt, stops carried by said locking means at spaced intervals therealong, a" series of tumblers mounted in said casing, said tumblers consisting of strips of rigid strap material and certain of them having each a horizontal top flange, said casing having in its upper part horizontal hanger flanges for said horizontal tumbler flanges normally to rest upon, said hanger flanges being deflected portions of a side wall of the casing and being divided into sections by cuts which enable the user selectively to break away and discard flange sections not required to support the desired combination of tumbler-s, said tumblers with horizontal top flanges being manually liftable by persons not familiar with the combination, from a non-obstructing to an obstructing relation to the stops carried by the aforesaid locking means, and means carried by said casing manually to shift said locking means to the unlocking position.

6. In a keyless lock of the kind described, the combination, with a locking member and a set of gravity controllable tumblers certain of which have horizontally extending upper end portions; of a lock casing having a side wall portion with a horizontally extending sectional top flange, in the assembled structure each section of said Iiange being positioned to form a seat for one of the aforesaid horizontally extending tumbler portions, the sections of said flange being partially divided by cuts which enable the user selectively to break away and discard flange sections not required to support the desired combination of tumblers, said tumblers with horizontal portions being selectively manually liftable by persons not familiar with the combination, to position a portion of the tumbler assembly in an obstructing relation to the retraction of the locking member.

7. In a keyless lock of the kind described, a casing, an elongated shiftable locking means mounted within said casing for longitudinal 1 movement and including a locking bolt, said shiftable locking means having longitudinally extending edge portions, a series of stop forming clips mounted upon and individually adjustable along said edge portions, said clips consisting of straps of form retaining resilient material bent into an embracing, clamping relation to said edge portions, a series of elongated vertically disposed longitudinally movable tumblers mounted in said casing in a cooperative relation to said stop forming clips, and manually operable means carried by said casing to retract said locking means.

8. The subject matter of claim 7, and said stop forming clips being adapted for being successively cut off from a, piece of square stock tubing.

9. In a keyless lock of the kind described, a casing, an elongated, at times longitudinally movable locking bolt carrier mounted in said casing, a locking bolt carried by said carrier and independently movable in a lengthwise relation thereto, said locking bolt being given its independent movement by closing the door, said carrier consisting of a channel shaped metal bar mounted in said casing with its open side directed horizontally, a spring within the casing positioned to project said carrier, stop means carried by the open side Vportion of said carrier, a series of manually operable tumblers mounted Within the casing in a cooperative relation to said stop means, said channel shaped carrier having a transversely extending end flange with a notch in it and said locking bolt having at one end a head carried by a neck which extends through said notch, and a movable part extending into the space alongside said neck, said part being mounted within the casing and being manually movable against the inner side of said head to retract said locking bolt independently of said carrier against the opposition of said spring.

10. The subject matter of claim 9, and said spring acting against the outer side of said head, and the inner side of said head at times acting against said end flange to extend the bolt and bolt carrier.

1l. The subject matter of claim 9, and said part which acts against said locking bolt head being a swingable arm, a rock shaft to which said swingable arm is secured, and a turnable knob located outside of the casing and secured to said rock shaft.

l2. The subject matter of claim ll, and said rock shaft comprising a longitudinal series of sections with cuts which partly sever adjacent sections so that by breaking` out superfluous sections the shaft may be shortened to accommodate the thickness of a door through which it extends.

13. In a keyless lock of the kind described, a casing, an elongated, at times longitudinally movable locking bolt carrier mounted in said casing, a locking bolt carried by said carrier in a guideway therefor in the latter, a spring within said casing tending to project said locking bolt, manually operable means mounted upon said casing, at times to move said locking bolt independently of said carrier to the unlocked position, said carrier consisting of a single strip of rigid material having longitudinal edge portions, a series of stop members secured to and adjustable along said edge portions to predetermine the tumbler stop combination, and a series of elongated tumblers the individuals of which extend in a crosswise adjacent relation to said carrier to co-operate with said stop members and are supported by said casing for selective manual movement to adjust them to release said carrier for retraction together with the locking bolt which it carries, when said lock is in its mounted position upon a door said tumblers being. accessible from one side of the door and said means for independently moving said locking bolt being accessible from the other side of the door.

WILLIAM W. HURTEL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,406,332 Hurtel Aug. 27, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 802,998 France Sept. 19, 1936

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