US2671354A - Locking device - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1954 C, F E GQQS 2,671,354

LOCKING DEVICE Filed July 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 9, 1954 c. F. E. Goos 2,671,354

LOCKING DEVICE Filed July 7, 195o s sheets-sheet 2 C. F. E. GOOS LOCKING DEVICE March 9, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 7, 1950 'Immun INVENTOR Patented Mar. 9, 1954 LQCKING DEVICE Carlos Federico Enrique Goos, Buenos Aires, Ar-

gentina, assigner to Birome Sociedad Anonima, Comercial E Industrial, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application July '1, 1'950, Serial No. 172,565

GClaims. l

This invention rel'ates to locking devices, and'. more particularly to a novel locking mechanism so combined with means having. a different response to successive effects, as to assume an automatic character.

Many devices have been proposed heretofore for similar purposes which are generally efficient' in operation, but inasmuch as in most cases they are based on hooks the release of which requires actions opposite to the locking action, this necessitates' an alternative operation with speci-al releasing members which are generally complicated, particularly in devices intended to be operated with only one hand.

Since the most practical solution resides in a single control, experiments were made with some devi-ces based on push-buttons combined with stops capable of being released by a repeated' deep pushing action. This may be easily carried: out, but inasmuch as it operates with thin tongues in combination with slidable rings requiring` a certain accuratenessfor the operation thereof, in practice it will not respond in a fully satisfactory manner, since it is subject to failure.

The above drawbacks are overcome by means of they device of this invention, which comprises a slider urged towards the inoperative position by a spring and governed by a pin inserted in a guide formed by two mainbranches` joined together into a closed circuit and having several sides so that in one direction the pin may reach a` locking point without the thrust in the same direction having the same response, since the movement tol the branch opposite tha-t corresponding tov the operative position is obtained by means of one of said sid'es. Thus each pushing action on the button will attain a diierent action of reverse motion.

A device of such nature isy applicable to many uses, since it is so simple, in construction that it may be used for securing any movable. member intended to assume more than one position, the. device being particularly adaptable toy pushbuttons or the like.

The system was tested in. connection with re,- tractile pens and pencils of the push-button type, switch buttons and other slidable members, in a most successiul manner, both as regards. a. safe locking action and an eiective release, and since it aords .a hrm lock inthe operative position, it, may be submitted to. pressure withoutdanger of undesired release.,

Apartfrom the, above, the invention, contemplates other objects, among which may be cited that of providing a locking device which will not complicate or render unduly expensive the mechanism to which it is applied.

A further object is to render the handling of control buttons more practical,V since the releasing eect will respond to the action in the. same pushing direction, whereby thev action in connection with diierent functions is always the same.

A further object is to provide push-buttons causing a change for each action, without complicating the construction of the apparatus or device to which itis applied.

A still further object is to allow the production of ball-tip pens of the retractile type at a low cost, since as regards the locking mechanism, it only comprises a simple guide associated with a pin on the opposite part with which the relative movement takes place.

Other objects and advantages of the. invention will become apparent in the course of the following description. In order that the invention may be more clearly understoodand. readily carried out, several preferred embodiments and applications thereof have. been illustrated by way of exampl'e in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is` a View, sectional in part, of the assembled locking device, showing the guide which in this instance is provided in the button or slidable member, whereas the pin is provided on the xed part, i.V e., the part serving as a guide for said button or sliding member;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner in which the device is taken apart, i. e., by moving the push-button to an intermediate position and' turn-ing same so that the button will move out of the device through an outwardlyl directed branch.

Fig. 3 is a View showing the mannerwhich the buttonis released from the pin.

Fig. 4" shows the devicein the inoperative posi-y tion caused by the tension of the spring heid-ing the button projected position.

Fig. 5v shows in dotted lines the push position preceding the locking position, the latter being shown in full lines.

Fig. 6 shows the manner which the lock is released, by' pressing the button from the lowest dotted line to the full-line position and then releasing the button so that the spring' carryA same to thehighest dotted line position.

Fig. 7: shows; the. device as. applied: to@ a retractile writing instrument, illustrating the lzrslanner.x in which the slider and button tlfierecn` serve as a base for the ink reservoir and writing tip, which in its. inoperative position (fuli: lines), is held within the instrument barrel, whereas when the 3 button is pushed, the assembly will move to the dotted-line position in which it is held due to the locking action established between the pin and the guide angle.

Fig. 8 is a view of the device as applied to an electric switch, showing the inoperative position thereof in full lines, and the circuit-closing position in dotted lines; and

Fig. 9 shows a modified embodiment of the device, wherein the slider is provided with the pin, while the xed portion comprises the guide in which the pin is adapted to slide.

The same reference characters are used to indicate like or corresponding parts or elements throughout the drawings.

As shown in the drawings, the reference character a is the guide constituting the xed element of the device, and b indicates the slider comprising the movable part slidably arranged in said guide.

As mentioned above, the slider b is urged towards the inoperative position by means of a spring I, and as may be seen, the locking means is obtained through the combination of a pin 2 and the shape of a guideway c which is cardioid.

Said guideway c has an apex 3 corresponding to the inoperative position of slider b; this apex 3 is displaced with respect to the apex 4 of the central portion 5 which is a raised portion forming the inner edges of guideway c, said edges being at an equivalent level with respect to the outer edges of the channel formed by said guideway.

Due to said displacement of the apex 3 with respect to apex 4, upon displacing the slider the apex 3 will correspond with a striking edge 6, so that the pin 2, after striking against said edge 6, will engage the branch 1, corresponding to the forward movement and terminating in an angle c' formed by a striking edge 8 and an apex 9 which is displaced with respect to the apex I of the central portion 5. If the slider b is released after having been moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, instead of returning by the branch I the pin 2 will strike the edge II of said central portion 5, said edge I I terminating in an elbow I2 engaged by pin 2. Thus, said elbow I2 constitutes the locking means proper, since it will determine the operative position of said slider, shown in full lines in Fig. 5.

As shown, the elbow I2 is displaced beyond the line corresponding to the apex I3, so that in the position shown in Fig. 5, if the slider b is again pressed, the pin 2 will abut against the striking edge I4, whereby said pin 2 will -be moved to the apex I5 with which an angle cl is formed. Said apex I5 is displaced with respect to the apex I5 of the central portion 5, so that if the slider b is released in this position (shown in full lines in Fig. 6) the spring I will return the assembly to the inoperative position. In effect, after assuming the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6, the pin will slide in the return channel Il ending at the apex II, i. e., the slider b will pass to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, which is equivalent to the initial position in Fig. 4.

Therefore, with the device in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 4, in order to move same to the operative position it will be sufficient to push said slider b until the apex 9 strikes against the pin 2 (dotted lines in Fig. 5) as upon releasing said slider the spring I will cause the pin 2 to lock in said elbow I2 (full lines in Fig. 5).

The slider b may be held in this position as long as desired without any danger of being released accidentally, since the spring I will exclude any possibility of deflection of the pin, rendering the lock highly effective.

In order to return the device to the inoperative position, it will be sufficient to again push the slider b to bring same to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6, whereupon it is released. and directed to the return path I1, so that the spring I will cause the pin 2 to coincide with the apex 3 (shown in Fig. 4 and in dotted lines in Fig. 6).

The same relative result is obtained both when the guideway c is in the slider b and the pin in the guide a (Figs. 1 to 8) and in the opposite case, viz., when the guideway c is constituted in the guide a and the pin 2 corresponds to the slider b, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 9. In this latter case, upon pushing the slider b, the pin 2, from said apex 3 will strike against the striking edge 6 and subsequently against the striking edge 8, ending at the apex 9 of angle c. Upon releasing said slider b, the spring I will cause same to abut against the edge II, directing same to the elbow I2, where it will remain locked in a manner similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. In order to return the device to the inoperative position, the slider b is again pushed, so that after abutting against the edge I4 and reaching the apex I5 of angle c, it will engage the return channel I1, returning to the starting point constituted by the apex 3.

The device of this invention may assume various forms in accordance with the different applications thereof, but preferably the slider b should project in the form of a button I8 so that it may be actuated by hand.

When the device described above is used in connection with a writing pen or pencil as in the example shown in Fig. 7, the guide a will form the barrel I9 of the writing instrument, which is tubular and houses a reservoir 2B secured to said slider b, so that the reservoir, terminating in a writing tip 2|, will form a slidable unit with said slider b and tip 2I.

The spring I, bearing on a seat 22, will hold the full line or inoperative position wherein the apex 3 coincides with the pin 2; in this position, the writing tip 2I will be retracted within the housing I9 constituted by a tapering of said tubular body or barrel I9; said housing I9 has a hole 23 through which said tip 2I' may slide to the operative position shown in dotted lines.

In order to set the instrument for writing, the button I8 is pushed, so that the slider will move to the lowest dotted-line position in Fig. 5, whereby from the apex 9 the pressure of spring I will direct same so as to establish a locking engagement in elbow I2, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

With the unit constituted by slider b thus retained, the instrument shown in Fig. '7 will remain ready for writing, as firmly as if the tip 2I were xed to the housing I9.

In order to retract the tip 2| it will be suih.

cient to push the button I8 as shown by the black arrow in Fig. 6; after assuming the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6, the slider b will remain free to recede to the position shown in dotted lines in the same Fig. 6, which is equivalent to the position shown in Fig. 4.

The slider b, also with a button I8, may have a stem 24, for example in the case of a switch as shown in Fig. 8. Said stem 24 is joined to a contact member 25 bridging the conductors 26 and 21, either directly as shown schematically in Fig. 8, or through any other means known in the art.

In this application of Fig. 8, the pushing of button I8 will attain the operative position indicated in dotted lines, and it will be sufficient to again push the button I 8 as shown in Fig. 6 to return the device to the inoperative position.

'Ihe device can be readily assembled and taken apart, since the branch i has a by-pass 28 terminating in a further branch 29 leading out at the end of slider b.

With these means, it will be sumcient to bring the slider b to an intermediate position so that the by-pass 28 will coincide with pin 2, whereby said pin will engage the by-pass 28, as shown in Fig. 2; further operation will direct said pin 2 to the branch 29 so as to release the slider, as shown in Fig. 3.

With these same means but in the opposite order, the device may bc assembled again. The pin 2 is caused to engage branch 29, so that by inserting the slider it will reach the by-pass 28, and by rotating the slider b, the pin 2 will again engage the guideway c'.

It is evident that in carrying out the invention, several modifications, changes and/0r alterations Will occur to those skilled in the art, Without departing from the scope of the inverntion as clearly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A locking device compr g; two at least partially telescoped members ovable longitudinally and rotatably relative to each other, spring means continuously tending to displace said members relative to each other in one direction, one of said members having a continuous groove formed therein and facing the other of said members to denne a box cam between a raised inner cardioid portion and an outer cardioid wall, said inner cardioid portion being offset relative to said outer cardioid Wall at right angles to said one direction, and means on said other member engaging in said continuous groove.

2. A locking device according to claim 1; wherein said continuous groove is formed in the outer surface of the inner one of said members, and said means engaging in the groove includes a pin xed to the outer one of said members and projecting inwardly from the inner surface thereof into said groove.

3. A locking device according to claim 1; wherein said continuous groove is formed in the inner surface of the outer one of said members, and said means engaging in the groove includes a pin fixed to the inner one of said members and projecting outwardly from the outer surface thereof into said groove.

4. A locking device according to claim 1; wherein said one direction extends parallel to the axis of relative rotational movement of said members.

5. A locking device according to claim 4; wherein said outer cardioid Wall includes a rst apex situated at the end oi said groove away from said vone direction, said groove having two branches diverging from said rst apex in said one direction of relative axial movement and said outer cardioid wall further having two apices at the ends of said branches remote from said rst apex and a V-shaped portion joining said two apices.

6. A locking device according to claim 5; said raised inner portion includes an apex corresponding to said rst apex and oiset relative to the latter in one direction of relative rotation of said members, and a notch portion corresponding to said V-shaped portion of the outer wall and offset relative to the latter in said one direction of relative rotation of said members.

CARLOS FEDERICO ENRIQUE GrOOS` References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 735,531 Lacey Aug. 4, 1903 828,920 Brandt Aug. 21, 1906 1,352,889 Gallo et al Sept. 14, 1920 1,732,577 Durdin Oct. 22, 1929 1,775,068 Debenedetti Sept. 2, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 303,603 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1929

Images