US2882709A - Anti-manipulation combination lock - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1959 M. M. CHECK 2,882,709

ANTI-MANIPULATION COMBINATION LOCK Filed June 4, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY April 21, M. M. CHECK ANTL-MANIPULATION COMBINATION LOCK Filed June 4, 195a 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1mm. m. leak ATTO R N EY April 21, 1959 M. M. CHECK 2,882,709

" ANTI-MANIPULATION COMBINATION LOCK Filed June 4, 195a '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 21, 1959 M. M. CHECK, 2,382,709

ANTI-MANIPULATION COMBINATION LOCK Y Filed June 4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INYENTOR BY W w ATTQRNEY Ma e M United States Patent ANTI-MANIPULATION COMBINATION LOCK Mathias M. Check, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 4, 1953, Serial No. 359,533

3 Claims. (Cl. 70-133) This invention relates to combination locks of the class in which a series of tumblers are set by a dial, with a fence then entering gatings in the tumblers. More particularly, my invention relates to a novel construction in a lock of this class whereby the combination of the lock can not be detected through manipulation of the dial.

As a very important feature of my invention, I provide novel means that normally hold the fence away from the tumblers during rotation of the tumblers by the dial. The fence can be released from these means for movement toward the tumblers but when the fence is thus released, the dial is locked against rotation. By this construction it is impossible to rotate the tumblers when the fence is in contact with the outer peripheries of these tumblers, and the positions of the tumbler gatings cannot, therefore, be detected.

As a further feature of my invention, I utilize novel means whereby a predetermined movement of the dial releases the fence and locks the dial against rotation, this predetermined dial movement being preferably difierent from the movement of the dial when setting the tumblers. More particularly, the dial normally rotates in the usual way to set the tumblers, but is adapted for a certain axial movement. The means that holds the fence away from the tumblers is a dog, and the axial movement of the dial causes this dog to release the fence and also to lock the dial against rotation.

As a further feature of the invention, I arrange a particular coaction between the dog and fence whereby I am able to utilize the fence to retract the bolt. For this purpose, once the fence is released to enter the tumbler gatings, and enters those gatings, it remains therein independently of the dog. Thereafter, the dial can rotate to actuate the fence for retracting the bolt, and the dial can further eject the fence from the gatings to require a resetting of the combination.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view showing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the fence in the tumbler gatings, with the dog in position to release the fence and to lock the dial against rotation.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the dog held out of fence holding position whereby to permit retraction of the bolt by the dial.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the retraction of the bolt from Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a view showing parts of the lock in exploded relation.

Fig. 8 shows the opposite sides of parts shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, I utilize in my novel lock a dial 10 on a spindle 10a for rotating a base tumbler 11. The details of the base tumbler 11 are best shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and will be described later, because it is first necessary to know merely that the dial 10 can act, by rotating the base tumbler 11, to set a series of rotating tumblers 12 in a conventional way. When the tumblers 11, 12 are properly set, gatings 13 in the tumblers are aligned, as shown in Fig. 2, relatively to a bar 14 on a fence that I indicate generally by the numeral 15. The fence 15 is mounted on a fixed pivot screw 16, and a U-shaped spring 17 is also mounted on the pivot screw 16, as shown in Fig. 2, with the arms of the spring engaged between a slot 18 in the fence 15 and a lug 19 on the bolt 20 whereby to act by rotating the fence to press the bar 14 toward the tumblers 11, 12. Further, the U-shaped spring 17 can act, when the tumbler gatings 13 are aligned, to effect entry of the fence bar 14 into these gatings, as shown in Fig. 4.

Thereafter, upon rotation of the dial 10, the base tumbler 11 moves the fence 15, as shown in Fig. 6, to retract a bolt 20 that slides between retracted and projected positions, this retracting movement of the bolt being effected through a cam 21 that is formed on the fence 15 and that is positioned in a cavity 22 in the bolt 20. Upon rotation of the dial 10 in a reverse direction, the base tumbler 11 ejects the fence bar'14 from the gatings 13, this action rotating the fence 15 so that the cam 21 moves the bolt 20 again to projected position. It is to be noted that the cavity 22 in the bolt 20 is sufficiently large, relatively to the cam 21, to enable the fence 15 to have a certain movement that is independent of the bolt 20. Thereby the spring 17 can move the fence bar 14 relatively to the tumblers 11, 12 and into the tumbler gatings 13, with the cam 21 effective to retract the bolt only after the bar 14 has actually entered the gatings.

The operation of the lock, as I have thus far described it, is the normal operation of a lock of the particular class.

Experts have found a way to detect a combination of a lock of this class. Thus, they know first that it is impossible to manufacture the tumblers so that the peripheries of the tumblers all lie in perfect alignment relatively to the fence. Because the tumblers do not lie in perfect alignment relatively to the fence, it is possible by manipulating the dial to detect, through visual and manual perception, the position of each tumbler gating relatively to the fence. The prior art attempts to provide means for preventing this detection, including the utilization of extremely lightly operating auxiliary fences and other attachments operated at the front of the dial. However, none of these devices of the prior art are entirely satisfactory because they can be attacked through wearing of the combination mechanism or parts of the operating mechanism.

The invention here contributes means, as earlier outlined herein, for holding the fence away from the tumblers during the manipulation of the tumblers, with these means further locking the dial against rotation when the fence moves toward the tumblers, but, nevertheless, enabling the dial to rotate when the fence is actually in the tumbler gatings. As an important part of my novel means, I show in Fig. 1 a plate like dog 23 that is positioned transversely relatively to the axis the dial at the outer side of the base tumbler 11.

The dog 23 has a central opening 24, best seen in Figs. 7 and 8, through which a sleeve 25 extends freely to support the dog on the spindle 10a. This sleeve 25 functionally is an integral part of the spindle 16a, being threaded on the spindle and secured thereto by a key 26, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and is formed as a separate part merely for purposes of manufacture and assembly.

Between the dog 23 and the base tumbler 11 is a dished spring 27 that normally presses the dog 23 outwardly in an axial direction to the position shown in Fig. l, but that can yield to allow movement of the dog 23 inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. At all times, however, the dog 23 is held against rotation by a lug 28 formed on the dog and positioned in a slot 29 in a part of the lock case, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The dished spring 27 does, incidentally, serve further to hold the base tumbler 11 imposition on the end 30 of a hollow stud 31 upon which the tumblers 12 rotate, with a circular bearing portion 35 on the tumbler 11 in position to rotate in the stud 31.

It will be well to describe at this point the means through which I move the dog 23 by an axial movement of the dial 10. For this purpose I form on the inner surface of the bearing member 32 in which the spindle 10a rotates, a shoulder 33 for engaging the outer end of the sleeve 25, this arrangement retaining the spindle 10a and dial 10 relatively to the lock, but allowing the spindle and dial to move inwardly. Further, I form on the sleeve 25 a peripheral shoulder 34 that is positioned against the dog 23, whereby the dial 10 when pressed inwardly moves the dog 23 to the inward position shown in Fig. 3. Also, the dished spring 27 is effective by this arrangement yieldingly, to hold the dial 10 as well as the dog 23 in the outward position shown in Fig. 1. To maintain a driving connection between the dial 10 and the base tumbler 11 while allowing axial movement of the dial, I arrange an inner end part of the sleeve 25 to extend within the circular bearing portion 35 on this tumbler, with splines 36 in the bearing portion 35, well insulated in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, engaging slots in the sleeve 25.

For coacting with the dog 23, I form upon the end of the fence that is adjacent to the dog 23 a tapered surface 37 that is substantially aligned with the bar portion 14 of the fence. With the dog 23 held by the dished spring 27 in the outward position shown in Fig. 1, an edge portion 38 on the dog presses against this tapered surface 37 of the fence to hold the bar 14 away from the tumblers 11, 12. Therefore, if the dial 10 is manipulated to rotate the tumblers 11, 12, the location of the gatings 13 cannot, by this manipulation, be determined through contact of the fence with the tumblers.

On the other hand, when the dog 23 is moved with the dial 10 to the inward position of Fig. 3, the edge portion 38 of the dog 23 moves relatively to the tapered surface 37 of the fence releasing the fence for movement by the spring 17 toward the tumblers. If the tumbler gatings, including the gating in the base tumbler 11, have been aligned previously, the bar 14 will enter those gatings as will be presently set forth, and a notch 41a of the fence will move into coaction with the dog 23 as is illustrated in Fig. 3. On the other hand, if the tumbler gatings are not aligned when the dial is moved inwardly to move the dog to the position of Fig. 3, the fence will not rotate sufficiently to bring its notch 41a into engagement with the edge 33 of the dog 23 because the fence will encounter the peripheral surfaces of the several tumblers.

It is extremely important to note further that I form upon the base tumbler 11 a lug 39 that must enter a slot 40 in the dog 23 to allow dial 1t) and dog 23 to move inwardly from the position of Fig. 1. Thus, when the lug 39 and slot 40 are not aligned relatively to on e another, the dog 23 cannot move to the position of Fig. 3. Also, the dog 23 cannot then'tilt inwardly to'rhe position of Fig. 5, since the lug 39 and dished spring 27 together are effective to prevent such movement. The lug 39 and slot as are aligned relatively to one another when the dial 10 rotates the base tumbler 11 to a position with the gating of the base tumbler in alignment with the bar 14 of the fence. As the dog 23 thereafter moves from its position of Fig. '1 to its position of Fig. 3, the lug 39 moves into the slot 40 to lock the base tumbler 11 to the dog 23. Because the dog 23 cannot itself rotate because its lug portion 28 locks it to the case at all times, I thereby lock the base tumbler 11 and dial 10 against rotation. Therefore, if the remaining tumblers have not been properly aligned prior to the alignment of the base tumbler, the location of the gatings of those tumblers cannot be determined since the dial 10 can not now rotate the tumblers relatively to the fence. If the dial 10 is now released, the spring 27 moves the dog 23 and dial 10 outwardly to release the lug39 and base tumbler 11. Dial 10 is now free for rotation, but at the same time, the edge portion 38 of the dog, through its coaction with the tapered surface 37 of the fence, moves the fence once again away from the tumblers.

The operation that I have just described occurs when the tumbler gatings 13 are not aligned and, therefore, do not admit the bar 14 on the fence 15. I shall now describe the novel means whereby the bar 14 on the fence 15, upon entry into the aligned gatings 13, is enabled to remain in the gatings to be moved by tumbler action for retracting the bolt 29. Upon the fence 15 I form a notch 41a, to which I have already alluded, having what may be termed a detent surface 41, well shownin Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7. To understand the action of the detent surface 41, it is necessary to realize that when bar portion 14 of the fence enters the tumbler gatings 13 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 upon inward movement of dog 23 from its position of Fig. l to the position of Fig. 3, the edge 38 of the dog will enter notch 41a. If the tumbler gatings are not aligned, the fence will not be able to move a sufiicient distance for the detent surface 41 of its notch 41a to engage edge 38.

With the edge 38 in notch 41a and detent surface 41 and the dog 23 thus engaged, the dog is in non-camming relation to the fence 15, and to maintain this non-camming relation as the base tumbler 11 rotates to move the fence, I curve the edge 42 of the dog 23 on the axis of the pivot screw 16 on which the fence rotates. Therefore, upon release of the dial 10 for outward axial movement, the detent surface 41 holds the curved edge 42 of the dog in its inward position, and the pressure of the dished spring 27 is ineffective to move the fence 15 out of the tumbler gatings 13. However, the spring 27 does move the dog 23 to the cocked positionshown in Fig. 5, and thereby the dog 23 moves outwardly away from the lug 39 on the base tumbler 11. I thereby release the base tumbler 11 for rotation while the bar portion 14 of the fence 15 is in the tumbler gatings 13, and, by then rotating the dial 10, I can move the fence 15 to move the bolt 20 to retracted position. Upon reverse rotation of the dial, the base tumbler 11 does, of course, project the bolt 20 and eject the bar 14 on the fence from the gatings 13. Simultaneously with the ejection of the bar 14 from the gatings, the tapered part 37 on the fence moves into engagement with the edge portion 38 on the dog, and the dished spring 27 is then effective through movement of the dog 23 to cam the fence 15 awayfrom the tumblers 11, 12, so that the parts of the lock are again in the position shown-in Figs. 1 and 2.

It may be Well to review a complete operation of my look as well as the review what happens when an attempt is made to detect the combination. With the parts in the position of 'Fig. 1, the fence is-maintained with its bar portion 14 away fromthe tumbler peripheries and the tumbler gatings by the dog 23. Anyone attempting to manipulate the lock will know that the dial may be pushed inwardly from the position of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 3 only when the base tumbler 11 is positioned with its gating aligned with the bar 14 of the fence, because only in that position will the slot 40 of dog 23 be in alignment with the lug 39. Also, only in that position will the gating 13 of the base tumbler 11 be in alignment with the fence to allow the fence to move to the position of Fig. 3. It will be appreciated that the dog 23 cannot be moved with the dial 10 inwardly of the lock to the position of Fig. 3 unless the slot 40 is in alignment with the lug 39. Any attempt to manipulate the lock without knowledge of the combination will be defeated because each time that the base tumbler lug 39 is aligned relatively to the slot 40 of the dog 23, and the dog 23 is moved inwardly to release the fence for movement toward the tumbler gatings, the base tumbler and the dial will be locked against rotation. In addition, while the fence will have been released by the dog 23 for movement toward the tumblers, it will encounter the tumbler peripheries and will not move a suflicient distance to bring its notch 41a into that relation to dog 23 illustrated in Fig. 3. Thereafter, when the dial is released, the dog 23 will then move back to the positions of Fig. 1, once again moving the fence away from the tumbler peripheries.

So far as I have been able to determine, it is absolutely impossible to detect the combination of my lock.

Anyone knowing the combination will rotate the dial 10 so as to position the several tumblers in alignment with the 'bar 14 of the fence. During this rotation of the tumblers the fence will be maintained at all times away from the gatings because of the action of the dog 23, well illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. With all the tumblers aligned relatively to the bar 14 of the fence, the dial will now position the base tumbler so that its gating is aligned also with the fence, and its lug 39 is aligned with the slot 40 of the dog. If the dial 10 is now moved inwardly the parts will assume the position of Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, it will be noted that the dog 23 is maintained in parallel alignment with the tumblers as in Fig. 1, but in an inward position. It will be noted that the slot 40 has encompassed the lug 39 so that the base tumbler and dial can no longer rotate. It will be noted further that since the fence was free to rotate to bring its bar portion 14 into the tumbler gatings, its notch 41a has moved into coaction with the dog 23 presenting a flat detent surface 41 to the dog.

The fence now being in the tumbler gatings and the dog 23 being held against movement back to its position of Fig. 1, the operator releases the dial 10. The spring 27 presses the dog 23 and dial 10 toward the position of Fig. 1. However, because the dog is held by the detent surface 41 at one side thereof, it will cant or cock as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, while the dog 23 remains locked and engaged by the fence at one side, its opposed side moves to bring the slot 40 away from coaction with lug 39 of the base tumbler. Obviously, the dial 10 and the base tumbler, together with the remaining tumblers, are free for rotation. Such rotation will be effective, because of the conventional relationship between the fence and the tumblers, to move the bolt of the lock from its position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 6. It will be noted that the fence will still hold the dog 23 in a cocked position because of the configuration of the surface 38. If now it is desired to project the bolt, a reverse rotation of the dial will effect movement of the fence that will place the bolt in its fully projected position. This will also be effective to move the fence away from the dog 23 so that the dog will again assume its position of Fig. 1, in which position it prevents inward movement of the fence except when depressed by action of the dial.

I believe that the extremely novel features whereby I am able to prevent detection of the lock combination, and in addition to retract the bolt through rotation of the tumblers, will now be clearly understood, and that the very considerable value of my contribution will be fully appreciated by those skilled in the art.

I now claim:

1. In a lock of the class described, a series of combination tumblers, a fence adapted to enter gatings formed in said tumblers, a dial rotatable to position said tumblers to align the gatings thereof with said fence, a springpressed dog, a cam portion on said dog through which the dog presses the fence away from the tumbler gatings, means of connection through which said dial when moved to a predetermined position moves the dog against the spring pressure to release said fence from said cam portion for movement toward the tumbler gatings, said fence entering the gatings when the gatings are aligned, a part mounted to rotate with said dial, a locking portion on said dog having a surface engaging a surface on said part to lock the part and dial against rotating movement when said dial and dog are moved to release said fence for entry into said gatings, and means whereby said fence coacts with the dog to hold its cam portion against movement to press the fence away from the tumbler gatings while the fence is within said gatings.

2. In a lock of the class described, a series of combination tumblers, a fence adapted to enter gatings formed in said tumblers, a dial rotatable to position said tumblers to align the gatings thereof with said fence, a spring-pressed dog, a cam portion on said dog through which the dog presses the fence away from the tumbler gatings, means of connection through which said dial when moved to a predetermined position moves the dog against the spring pressure to release said fence from said cam portion of the dog for movement toward the tumbler gatings, a part mounted to rotate with said dial, and a locking portion on said dog having a surface engaging a surface on said part to lock the part and dial against rotating movement when said dial and dog are moved to release said fence for entry into the tumbler gatings.

3. In a lock of the class described, a series of combination tumblers including a base tumbler mounted to rotate in a tumbler axis, a fence adapted to enter gatings in said tumblers, a dial, means mounting said dial for axial movement and also for rotating the base tumbler whereby to position said tumblers with their gatings in alignment with the fence, said fence when in the tumbler gatings being adapted for movement by the base tumbler and dial, a dog mounted substantially parallel to said tumblers, a portion connected to said dial and against which said dog rests for movement with said dial in the tumbler axis, means securing said dog against rotation, spring means pressing said dog relatively to said portion that is connected to the dial to urge said dog and dial to an outward axial position, means on the dog holding the fence away from the tumblers when said dog and dial are in said outward axial position, a locking portion on the dog, and said base tumbler having a part formed with a surface that is engaged by a surface on said locking portion to lock the base tumbler against rotating movement when said dog is moved axially inwardly against the pressure. of said spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 132,936 Sullivan Nov. 12, 1872 237,950 Bernhardt Feb. 22, 1881 2,601,774 Behrens et a1. July 1, 1952 2,767,572 Miller Oct. 23, 1956 2,775,113 Behrens Dec. 25, 1956 2,775,114 Lee Dec. 25, 1956

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