US2734373A - scherbinski - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 14, 1956 F. P. SCHERBINSKI 2,734,373

LOCK MECHANISM FOR A LATCH Filed Jan. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheefll J3 flyi- 12m F/oyo PScherb/nsk/ Af/omey 1956 F. P, SCHERBINSKI 2,734,373

LOCK MECHANISM FOR A LATCH 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1953 Flay/0" PScAe/ b/hsk/ Affom United States Patent.

LOCK MECHANISM FOR A LATCH Floyd P. Scherbinski, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Crampton Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Michigan Application January 28, 1953, Serial No. 333,745 2 Claims. (Cl. 70-13) The present invention provides a key-operated locking mechanism to prevent the opening of a conventional latch. The preferred form of this mechanism was developed for use in conjunction with the latch system frequently installed on deep-freeze units, the latch itself including a member usually pivotally mounted on the cover of the freezer. The pivoting movement is sufiicient to move a bolt to and from engagement with a keeper secured to the body portion of the container. In the usual installation, the pivotal mounting of the bolt causes a movement at the keeper in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the container on which the keeper is mounted. The popularity of this type of latch is quite probably due, at least in part, to the fact that the handle associated with the bolt becomes a very conventient point against which to apply the force necessary to elevate the cover of the freezer.

In view of the value of the contents of a well-filled freezer, it frequently becomes desirable to lock the cover in closed position in periods in which the unit is not attended by responsible personnel. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to prevent the withdrawal of the bolt from the keeper. The use of a padlock serving to maintain the closed position of the bolt is well known. A padlock, however, is a rather cumbersome and unsightly article, and does not blend well into the design configuration of the unit. Since it is a separate piece of equipment, it usually requires some type of chain or other similar arrangement to avoid its being accidentally misplaced, which further adds to the problem of maintaining a favorable appearance. The present invention provides an arrangement for performing the same function as the padlock, but with a very simple and inexpensive device which is much easier to blend into the desired design contours. In the preferred form of the present invention, a locking member is slideably mounted on the keeper for movement in a direction transverse to the withdrawal movement of the bolt. When the locking member is moved to locking position, a bolt-engaging portion is positioned to intercept the bolt so as to maintain it in engagement with the keeper. The positioning of the locking member is preferably determined by a key-operated mechanism, and the orientation of the sliding movement of the locking member in a direction transverse to the withdrawal movement of the bolt permits the key-operated mechanism to be free of the actual locking forces involved.

The key-operated mechanism in this preferred form involves a tumbler-controlled unit rotatably mounted in the locking member. A projecting portion on the tumbler unit is positioned eccentric to the axis of the tumbler, and cooperates with a slot in the keeper disposed transversely to the direction of movement of the locking member. Rotation of the tumbler unit will therefore drive the locking member along its path of sliding movement. A modified form of the present invention includes a tumbler unit mounted on an axis fixed with respect to the keeper.

In this arrangement, the locking member does not carry Patented Feb. 14, 1956 the tumbler unit, but is merely driven by the eccentric mounted on the tumbler assembly.

The several features of the present invention will be analysed in detail through a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a top view of a keeper, a locking mechanism, and a portion of a bolt, all shown in cooperating position.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the keeper and locking mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the same mechanism as is illustrated in Figure 2, but with the locking system in the unlocked position.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the plane 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the plane 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the plane 6-6 of Fig. ure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing installation of the locking mechanism installed on a deep-freeze unit.

Figure 8 is a top view of a modified form of the present invention.

Figure 9 shows a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a section taken on the plane 10-10 of Figure 9.

Referring to Figure 7, a cover 11 of a deep-freeze unit is conventionally hinged as indicated at 12 to the body portion 13 of a deep-freeze unit. It is also conventional to hold the cover down in closed position through the action of a bolt assembly controlled by a handle 14. Suitable keeper means are mounted on the body portion 13, and the pivoting of the bolt assembly in its mounting bracket 15 results in moving the bolt in a direction generally perpendicular to the face of the body portion 13 on which the keeper is mounted. Outward movement of the handle 14 pulls the engaging portion of the bolt out of position where it cooperates with the keeper, and permits the cover 11 to be elevated. The positioning of the handle 14 as shown in Figure 7 provides a very convenient point against which the forces may be applied for opening the cover. With one movement, the latch may be disengaged and the coveramoved to open position.

One modification of the mechanism for locking the latch system so as to prevent the cover 11 from being opened is shown in Figures 1 through 6. A bolt 16 is mounted on the arm 17 which is pivotally connected to the bracket 15 (shown in Figure 7). A keeper unit 18 is mounted on the body portion 13 by the screws 19 and 20, with the usual slotted arrangement in the keeper for receiving the screws to permit movement in a vertical direction to secure the proper relationship between the surface 21 on the keeper and the bolt 16. It is preferred that serrations as indicated at 22 be provided at the point of engagement between the keeper unit 18 and the mounting plate 23 to firmly maintain the adjusted position of the surface 21. The opening of the cover 11 must be preceded by a movement of the bolt 16 in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4. To prevent such movement when desired, a locking member 24 is slideably mounted on the keeper 18, the sliding movement being in a vertical direction in Figure 4. An upward move ment of the locking member will bring the bolt-engaging portion 25 into position where it intercepts the outward movement of the bolt 16. It is preferred that the sliding engagement of the locking member 24 and the keeper 18 be established through a tongue-and-groove system as indicated in Figure 6. The tongues 26 and 27 on the keeper 18 engage with corresponding grooves in the locking member 24, and the forces necessary to maintain the bolt 16 in engagement with the keeper are thereby taken by this tongue-and-groove system rather than by the mechanism which positions the locking member along its path of movement.

This positioning function is provided through the key operated mechanism which includes the tumbler unit 28 which is rotatably mounted in the locking member 24. The tumbler assembly is maintained in engagement with the locking member through the action of a conventional member 29 having radial movement in the tumbler assembly 28, and which engages a shoulder at the base of the recess 30 to maintain the assembly of the parts as shown. Operation of the key 31 will position the tumbler assembly so as to permit rotation thereof with respect to the locking member 24, and thereby move the eccentric 32 about the axis of the tumbler assembly. The eccentric 32 engages a set of spaced abutments provided by sides of the slot 33 in the keeper 18, and it will be noted that this slot is disposed in a direction transverse to the sliding movement of the locking member 24. Rotation of the tumbler 28 will therefore impart similar rotation to the eccentric 32, resulting in the movement of the locking member 24 along the path of movement determined by the tongue-and-groove system indicated at 26 and 27 in Figure 6. Movement from the unlocked position shown in Figure 4 to the locked position shown in Figure results from rotation of the key 31, and maintains the bolt 16 in engagement with the keeper 18. The keeper 18 and the locking member 24 are preferably of die-cast construction, and therefore are provided with hollow interiors to minimize the amount of metal involved in each unit.

Referring to Figures 8, 9, and 10, a modified form of the present invention is illustrated. The principal characteristics of this modification over that indicated in the previous discussion is the fact that the key-operated mechanism is mounted on an axis which is fixed with respect to the keeper. A slideable member is mounted in the keeper structure, and is positioned by the tumbler assembly so as to serve the same function as the locking member 24 of the previously-discussed modification. A keeper unit 34 is provided with the bolt-engaging surface 35 for cooperation with a bolt similar to that shown in the previous figures. A locking member 36 is slideably mounted on the keeper unit 34, preferably with a tongue-and-groove system as illlstrated in Figure 10. The tongues 37 and 38 are preferably formed on the locking member 36, and cooperate with the grooves established by the base portion of the keeper 34 and by the removable members 39 and 40 held in position by screws as indicated respectively at 41 and 42. These screws should be inserted from the underside of the keeper in order to prevent their removal from the outside. The keeper unit 34 is held in engagement with a body portion of the freezer in a fashion similar to that of the keeper 18. A tumbler unit 43 is provided with an eccentric 44 which cooperates with a slot 45 in the locking member 36. Rotation of the tumbler assembly about its axis with the key 46 will result in moving the locking member to and from a position to bar the removal of the bolt from engagement with the keeper.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A lock, comprising a keeper for receiving a bolt; :1 locking member having a bolt-engaging portion, said member being mounted for movement with respect to said keeper to and from a position preventing withdrawal of said bolt from said keeper; and means for positioning said member, said positioning means including an actuator rotatably mounted in said member and eccentric means mounted on said actuator, said eccentric means having cooperating engagement with spaced abutment means fixed with respect to said keeper and disposed transversely to the direction of movement of said locking member.

2. A lock, comprising: a keeper for receiving a bolt; means forming a guideway fixed with respect to said keeper; a locking member slideably mounted in said guideway for movement to and from a position preventing withdrawal of said bolt from said keeper; key-controlled positioning means for said locking member including a rotatable member mounted in said locking member and having a projection at an end thereof eccentric to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member; and means forming opposite abutment surfaces fixed with respect to 'said keeper and disposed transversely to the direction of movement of said locking member, said abutment surfaces being spaced to receive said eccentric projection therebetween; and fastening means for mounting said keeper, said fastening means being disposed in positions covered by said locking member when in locking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,948 Walsh July 5, 1898 849,269 Schaad Apr. 2, 1907 1,584,992 Richards May 18, 1926 1,878,886 Paulton -a Sept. 20, 1932 2,107,056 Kistner Feb. 1, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,079 Great Britain of 1896

Images