US2678554A - Padlock - Google Patents

Description

L. PALMER May 18, 1954 PADLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 50, 1952 L.. PALMER 2,678,554

PADLocK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 18, 1954 Filed June 30, 1952 ATTORNEY Patented May 18g, 1954 UNITED r#Pi-Afl'ENT :OFFICE PADLOCK Luther Palmen Hayfork;L Calif.

Application .June @30, 1952, VSerial No. A 296,304

(Cl. 'I0-38) This..invention. relatesV to a novel padlock 'of .-.extremelysimple. construction capable of. ,being .economically manufactured and `which will be ,-.paiticlarly durable and. eicient. in use.

..More particularly, .itisan aimv of. the inven- Ltionito providea.padlockwherein both legs of the .shackle are .engaged .to hold the shackle: in

` springs for each of the 'shackle retaining bolts .thereof thereby minimizing the tension 'required .on and the loading of each ofthe springs to'thus .materially increase the.' life. of 'the 'springs 'and pf. the. padlock.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention willV hereinafter oecomemoreapparent lfrometheliollowing description f the drawings, .illustrating a presently `preferred.embodiment Mthereof, .and wherein: Y

."Figure 1 is an elevational view looking :toward .thejiront side ,ofitherpadlock and showing the .padlocklin a closed or lockedposition; p

Figure 2 is an. edge elevational. 'view."thereof looking from .left l.to right of Figure 1;

.'Eigure 3 is an enlarged sectional .View 'taken substantially along a plane .as ndicatedf'by'the '..line' l3--.3 of Figure" 2..showing` the internal parts fof4 the padlock inside elevation; 4

.`Figure' 4 is a view -similar to"`Figure 43 but "showing other ofthe parts in: section "and showing thel-padlockin an open'orunlocked position;

,Figure 5Lis a horizontal sectional View through the padlock taken substantiallyalonga lplaney as indicated by the .line' 5 5 ofFigure 4;

Figurel is a longitudinal sectional viewo'fithe padlock taken substantially al'onga plane as indicatedgby the line B`G of Figure 3,and

'liFigure '7 is a "fragmentary longitudinal nsectional view .takenv substantially along a 'plane 'as indicated .by the .line 'I-'Izof'Figurc 3.

L'Referring more specifically to the drawings, the novel :padlock in .its `entirety is vdesignated 1generally8 .and includes a case,l designated genw fienallyna havinga'lfront1cover. plate I0 which is permanently secured thereto by suitable fastenvingmeans II and which is provided with a-key receiving opening I2. `A pin I3is nxed to and projects.fromtheinnersideof a rear wall .I4 of the .case @and is disposed centrally with respect tothe ends and sides `of the keyhole I2.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, thecaseQ .isprovided in'its .interior chamberor cavity I5 with. a .longitudinally `extending partition -IG which is disposed'substantially.parallel to` and adjacent a side wall I 'Iofthe case 9. Two transverse. partitions I8- extend between theside wall I? and partition I6. and are disposednearer the `inner endwall I9. than-the outer r.endwall-ZI) .the .outer endwalll and the partition 1.8, advjacent thereto.

.An expansion coil spring` 25 is .disposed on the shackle leg, 22.-between. the pin 24. and its terminal, one end of said spring25 Y.hearing against.the end-wall 20 and the other '.end thereof bearingagainstthepin 2li forurg- .ing the shackle'ZI to an open, projected position,

as illustrated in Figure 4. The Ypin 24 also'iunctions as a stop forlimiting movement of the shackle to a projected-position by engagement `with the *lastV mentionedpartition I8, as` illustrated in'Figure 4. ,A short'stern 125 maybe. Xed

to the inner side .of theend .wall 20 tot into the end of the spring `25 which engages saidend wall to hold thespring in axial lalignment with the shackle leg 22.

`The chamber I5 contains two spaced .substantially .parallel partitions 21 and 28 which extend a'short distance from the inner end wall ISand which are `disposed `nearer the opposite side wall A shackle retaining bolt 29 extends slidably through and is. guided in thepartitions 21 and 28 and has a free end Sdadapted to seat in .an opening. or recess. 3| of the short shackle leg 23 to retain the terminal portion of saidshackle leg in a 'closed or .locking position within the case 9, .as'illustrated inl Figure. 3. 'Said end 3H voi' the bolt 29 is rounded on its upper side to form a cam surface for coaction with abeveled. surface 32 ofthe shacklevleg 23 whereby'as the shackle leg 23 is moved into the case 9 through an opening v33 in the end w'all""'If-J, the cam surface 32 will engage the rounded end or cam surface to retract the bolt 29 so that the opening or recess 3| may assume a position to receive the bolt end 30 when said bolt is again moved to a projected position, as illustrated in Figure 3. The bolt 29 has a head 34 disposed to abut the partition '21 to limit movement of the bolt 29 toward a projected position. A stem projects from the head 34 away from the bolt 29 and toward the partition I5 to provide a support for one end of an expansion coil spring 35 which is mounted thereon and abuts against the head 34 and the opposite end of which seats against the partition I6 around a spring support 31 which projects from said partition,

A second bolt 38, which corresponds structurally to the bolt 29 but which is preferably somewhat longer than said bolt 29, extends through a partition 39 which is disposed between a portion of the partition I6 and the side wall I la and through the partition I6 into the space between the par titions I8, so that the end 96a of the bolt 38 when in a projected position can engage an opening of the shackle leg 22 when said shackle is in a closed position. A boit head 34a on the opposite end of the bolt 33 abuts the partition 39 to limit movement of the bolt 39 toward a proe jected position. A stem 35a extends from the head 34a toward the wall I'Ia to support one end of an expansion coil spring 35a which abuts the head 34a and the opposite end of which abuts a portion of the wall I'Ia and is disposed around and supported by a projection 31a, fixed to the inner side of said wall. Thus, the bolts 29 and 30a are projected by the springs 35 and 36a, respectively, in opposite directions toward projected positions for engaging the openings 3I and 40 to retain both legs of the shackle 2I in a locked position in the case 9.

A pin 4I is fixed to the rear wall I4 and projects into the chamber I5 adjacent the longitudinal partition I6. A lever 42 is supported turnably on the pin 4I intermediate of its ends and is disposed between a spacing block 43, through which said pin 4I extends, and a retaining washer f 44, secured on the pin 4I The spacing block 43 is disposed against the inner side of the rear wall I4. The lever 42 has an end portion 45 projecting from the intermediate portion thereof which engages the pin 4 I, toward the bolt 33 and which is provided with a right angularly turned terminal portion 46 which extends toward the front wall I0 and loosely engages in a notch 41 in the intermediate portion of the bolt 38. The

lever 42 has an elongated shank 43 extending in the opposite direction from its intermediate portion and which is provided with a concavely arced longitudinal. edge 49 which faces toward the pin I3. A pull spring 5I) has one end connected to a terminal portion of the lever end 48 and is anchored by an eye 5I at its opposite end to the side wall Il'a for urging the lever 42 to swing countercloclrwise about the pivot 4 I, as seen in Figures 3 and 4, for urging the retaining bolt 38 to the left or toward a projected position in engagement with the leg opening 40. A bolt actuating lever 52 is swingably mounted intermediate of its ends in the cavity I5 on a pin 53 which is xed to and projects inwardly from the rear wall I4 which is disposed between the outer end wall 20 and the bolt stem 35a, and adjacent the latter. The pin 53 extends through a plurality of spacing blocks 54 and 54a which are disposed between the lever 52 and the rear wall I4. Said spacing blocks are also engaged by a pin 55 which may loosely fit the uppermost spacing block 54a to allow a limited swinging movement thereof from its position of Figure 3 toward the side wall IIa. The lever 52 has an end 56 extending from its pivot 53 toward the bolt 29 and which has a laterally extending terminal 5T which projects toward the rear wall I4 and loosely fits a notch 58 of the bolt 29. The lever 52 is held between the spacing block 54a and the front wall I0 by a retaining washer 59 which is mounted on the pivot pin 53. The other longer end 60 of the lever 52 extends from the pin 53 toward the end wall 20 and has a concavely arced inner longitudinal edge 5| which faces the pin I3 and the inner edge 49 of the lever end 4B. The lever end 56 is disposed between the front wall I0 and the spring 36a and the lever end 60 is disposed between said front wall I0 and the pull spring 50. A pull spring 62 is anchored at one end to the partition I8 through an aperture 63 therein and is connected at its opposite end to the terminal portion of the lever end 60 for urging the lever 52 to swing on its pivot 53 clockwise as seen in Figures 3 and 4 for urging the bolt 29 toward a projected position and in engagement with the shackle leg opening 3I. The adjacent edges 49 and 6I are disposed closer together than the adjacent edges of the spacing blocks 43 and 54 and 54a. The rear wall I4 is provided with a ridge 64 on which a portion of the lever end 45 rests and slides.

A key 65 has a tubular stem portion 69 which fits over the pin I3 and is rotatably disposed thereon and is provided with bits G1 and 68 projecting in opposite directions from the stem 56. The bit B1 is provided with a notch or recess portion E9 for accommodating the inner edge 6I of the lever end 60 and the inner edge of the spacing block 54a, and the bit 68 is provided `with a smaller notch 'I0 for spacing the bit 68 from the spacing block 43.

Assuming that the padlock 8 is in a closed or locked position as illustrated in Figure 3, the key stern and bits are inserted through the opening I2 into the case 9 with the stem 66 fitting `over the pin I 3 and the bit 68 being disposed adjacent the end wall 20. The key is then turned clockwise, as seen in Figure 4, so that the notch 69 of the bit 61 will first engage the lever edge 6I to swing the lever 52 counterclockwise on its pivot 53 to retract the bolt 29 to the left out of engagement with the shackle leg 23. The bit BB thereafter engages the lever edge 49 to swing the lever 42 clockwise on its pivot 4I to retract the bolt 38 out of engagement with the shackle leg opening 40, whereupon the loaded spring 25 projects the shackle 2| away from the case 9 toits open full line position of Figure 4, in which the shackle 2| may be swung about the leg 22 as an axis to its dotted line position of Figure 4. This movement of the levers 42 and 52 and the bolts 29 and 38 loads the lever springs 50 and 62 and the bolt springs 36 and 36a. Accordingly, when the key is turned in the opposite direction to re-align the bits El and S8 with the opening I2. the bolt 29 will return to a projected position and the lever 52 will be returned by the spring 62 to its position of Figure 3. However, the bolt end 30a will remain in engagement with the shackle leg 22 so that said bolt and its actuat ing lever 42 will still be retained substantially in their positions of Figure 4. When the shackle 2| is thereafter swung back to its full line position of Figure 4 and displaced toward the case 9,.the leg 22 will slide inwardly of the case and `the legfiwillislide through v.thevcase ,opening so that engagement ,ofthe cam surfaces. 32 and 30, as previouslydescribed, will retract'the bolt 29 and'-re't'urn the lever 52-toits positionfofligtheir positions'of'Figure 3 by the combined action of thesprings 36a and 50 so that both bolts Will'beidisposed in projectedpositions to ,.retain Y`the shack1e2l "in"a"closed"`orlocked position.

It will thus be readily apparent that the bolt 29 and lever 52 will function should either the spring 36 or 62 break and the bolt 38 and lever 42 will likewise function as previously described should either the spring 35a or 50 break.

Various modications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope oi the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A padlock of the character described comprising a case, a shackle having a shorter leg and a longer leg, said longer shackle leg being slidably and nondetachably mounted in said case, said shorter leg being slidably movable into one end of said case and outwardly thereof for disengaging the shorter shackle leg from the case when the lock is in an open or unlocked position, said shackle legs each being provided with a bolt receiving recess, a pair of bolts reciprocably mounted in said case transversely of the shackle legs, bolt springs individual to said bolts for urging the bolts in opposite directions toward projected positions in engagement with the shackle leg recesses for latching both of the shackle legs within the case, a pair of bolt actuating levers individual to said bolts pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends in the case and having complementary bolt engaging terminal portions, said bolts having notches loosely engaged by said terminal portions, said levers having opposite complementary ends laterally spa-ced relatively to one another and disposed on the opposite sides of the lever pivots to the rst mentioned lever ends, said last mentioned lever ends forming key engaging portions and defining a key receiving space therebetween, said key engaging lever ends being adapted to be swung away from one another by the turning movement of a key disposed in the key receiving space for rocking the levers in opposite directions to move the bolts in opposite directions toward retracted positions out oi engagement with the keeper recesses of the shackle legs whereby the shackle is released for movement outwardly of the case to an unlocked open position, and pull springs individual to the levers, said pull springs being anchored tothe oase and connected with the last mentioned lever ends for urging said levers to swing in opposite directions for displacing the bolts toward projected positions, each of said bolts and thelever engaged thereby being actuated by the respec tive bolt spring and pull spring, and each of said springs being capable or" moving the bolt to a projected position and rocking the lever engaging said bolt to a position to be actuated by the key.

2. A padlock of the character described com .iprisingraffcasa s air-shackle. havingraf'shortendes and .a longer i les 'said -glongerrshackle lega 1being slidably and -nondetachablyr mountedzinsaidnase. said shorterlegbeingxslidably movableg-intosone :endfoffA said case and outwardlyAzthereof'fprsdis- ,engaging .the .shorter Lshackle z legvfrom fthescase :when .the lock is in :anl open or` unlocked position,

said shackle legs each being provided withsa v bolt receiving ,'recess, a-:pair: kof:bolts-reciprocably vmounted, infsaid case `transversely,oigthefshackle legs; bolt :springs individual ito said bolts :,fzor urging the rbolts in opposite directions toward ,projected positions in engagement withsthe shackle ,legs recesses'for ylatching both 'births .shacklezlegs withinlthe case, a pair of-bolt actuating levers y individual to said'` bolts ,pivote-115V mounted intermediate of their ends in the case and having complementary bolt engaging terminal portions, said bolts having notches loosely engaged by said terminal portions, said levers having opposite complementary ends laterally spaced relatively to one another and disposed on the opposite sides of the lever pivots to the i'lrst mentioned lever ends, said last mentioned lever ends forming key engaging portions and dening a key receiving space therebetween, said key engaging lever ends being adapted to be swung away from one another by the turning movement of a key disposed in the key receiving space for rocking the levers in opposite directions to move the bolts in opposite directions toward retracted positions out of engagement with the keeper recesses of the shackle legs whereby the shackle is released for movement outwardly of the case to an unlocked open position, and spacing blocks interposed between a wall of the case and one of said levers for offsetting said lever relatively to the other lever and to the bolt engaged by said other lever. the bolt spring of said last mentioned bolt being disposed between said case wall and the lever oiset by the spacing blocks.

3. A padlock of the character described comprising a case, a shackle having a shorter leg and a longer leg, said longer shackle leg being slidably and nondetachably mounted in said case, said shorter leg being slidably movable into one end of said case and outwardly thereof for disengaging the shorter shackle leg from the case when the lock is in an open or unlocked position, said shackle legs each being provided with a bolt receiving recess, a pair of bolts reciprocably mounted in said case transversely of the shackle legs, bolt springs individual to said bolts for urging the bolts in opposite directions toward projected positions in engagement with the shackle leg recesses for latching both of the shackle legs within the case, a pair of bolt actuating levers individual to said bolts pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends in the case and having complementary bolt engaging terminal portions, said bolts having notches loosely engaged by said terminal portions, said levers having opposite complementary ends laterally spaced relatively to one another and disposed on the opposite sides of the lever pivots to the rst mentioned lever ends, said last mentioned lever ends forming key engaging portions and dening a key receiving space therebetween, said key engaging lever ends being adapted to be swung away from one another by the turning movement oi a key disposed in the key receiving space for rocking the levers in opposite directions to move the bolts in opposite directions toward retracted positions out of engagement with the keeper 7 recesses of the shackle legs whereby the shackle is released for movement outwardly of the case to an unlocked open position, said last mentioned lever ends having opposed concavely arced longitudinal edges forming cam surfaces adapted 'to be engaged by bits of the key for rocking the levers in opposite directions to retract the bolts.

4. A padlock as in claim 3, one of said cam edges being disposed nearer the axis of the key than the other cam edge and being initially actuated by turning of the key for reti-acting the bolt engaged by said lever out of engagement with the shorter shackle leg before the other lever is actu'A ated by the key to retract the other bolt out oi engagement with the longer shackle leg.

References Cited in the Ille of this patent Number Number 15 322,529

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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