US3175376A - Lock mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 30, 1965 R. s. CANTWELL 3,175,376

LOCK MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 )Pober/ 6. (an/we,

INV EN TOR.

WHANN 8 MCMAN/GAL Affornes for Aff'l March 30, 1965 R. G. CANTWELL 3,175,376

LOCK MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fioer/ G: Can/well INVENTOR.

WHA/VN a McMAN/GAL Af/orneys far fl l/cam United States Patent ice 3,175,376 LOCK MECHANISM Robert G. Cantweli, Sun Valley, Califi, assignor to Adams Rite Manufacturing Company, Glendale, Calih, a corporation of California Filed July '17, 1961, Ser. No. 124,572 8 Claims. ({Il. 70-131) The present invention relates generally to locks, and is more particularly concerned with door locks which may be actuated by a manually operable cam member.

Lock cylinders and cams as presently manufactured and supplied from a multitude of sources may vary materially with respect to the physical construction of such parts as cam length, shape, offset of plug within the cylinder body, and the like. These structural difi erences present a rather serious and complex problem to lock manufacturers, since most lock mechanisms are rather critical as to the movements of the parts which are associated and coact with the lock cylinder mechanism.

Having the foregoing in mind, the present invention has for one object the provision of a lock mechanism embodying more flexible means for interconnecting the lock mechanism and lock cylinder, and which is relatively unaffected by the usual constructional differences between the lock cylinder arrangements from different suppliers.

A further object is to provide a. single lock structure which will be compatible with lock cylinders and cams supplied: from a variety of manufacturers.

A still further object is to provide an improved lock mechanism wherein the extent of linear movement of the lock bolt will be independent of the length of the cam actuator ofan associated lock cylinder unit.

A still further object is to provide an improved lock mechanism having a novel arrangement of parts for providing holdback and deadlock operations.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide in a lock mechanism of the herein. described character, a linearly movable bolt having unique dog members cooperable with a keeper inthe extended position of the bolt, these dogs being operable in response to bolt movement.

Another and further object of theinvention is to pro vide cam actuated members which may be mountedv on a door frame for actuation on opposite sides. of the frame, these cam vactuated members being interconnected for concerted movement and selectively operable toactuate the locking mechanism.

Further objects of the invention will be brought. out in the following part ofthe specification, wherein detailed.

description is for the purpose of fully disclosing several embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is. a side elevationaliview of theworking parts ofthe lock mechanism of the present invention, partly in section, and having portions broken away, and showing the bolt in extended position;

FIG. 2 is.a similar View, showing. the bolt in retracted position;

FIG. 3 is aside elevational view of a modified arrangement, partly in section and having cut away portions to show certain details, and wherein the mechanism is selectively operable from opposite sides of the lock casing;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken substantially on line. i4 of FIGS FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the casing of a lock structure to show the details ofthe. associated parts of another modification according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a similar view of still another modification in 3,175,376 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 which the basic concepts of the invention are. embodied in a spring latch structure.

Referring now generally to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the lock structure of the present invention is shown as being embodied in an enclosingcasing, as generally indicated by the numeral 10, this casing compris ing a two part structure which includes one part on which the lock elements are mounted having a side wall 11, and another part in the form of a cover providing aside wall 12, as shown in FIG. 4. One edge of the casing is. open and is closed by means of a conventional front plate 13 having the usual opening 14 therein through which an end of a bolt structure 15 is linearly movable to extended and retracted positions.

The bolt structure may assume a variety of different physical embodiments, but in the present instance has been illustrated as being formed of an elongate strip of material which is deformed to provide a U-shaped member with parallel extending leg portions 16 and 17 which are connected by a rounded bridging portion 18 at the outermost end of the bolt. The bolt is mounted in the casing for reciprocable movement and is guided in this.

movement by positioning the leg portion 16 in a groove 19 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 11. The bolt structure isthus supported and guided in its linear movement to extended and retracted positions.

The bolt structure is actuated through a mechanism.

which includes in the caseof the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 a sector gear 26 which is positioned for oscillatory rotational movement between the leg portion 16 and 17. As shown in FIG. 4, the sector gear 20 has a tubular hub 21 which is seated over a boss 22 formed in the side wall 11, and which locates the axis of rotation of the. sector gear. The leg portion 16 of the bolt. structure, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with a slot 23 within which the tubular hub 21 is positioned, thus permitting reciprocable movement of the bolt structure.

The other leg of the bolt structure, leg 1.7, is provided with a transversely extending slot 24 which receives-therethrough an actuating crank pin 25 carried by the sector gear. The crank pin 25 and associated slot 24 are so arranged that in the extended lock position of the bolt structure, the crank pin will have been moved pastthe center line of movement of the bolt and thus servest provide over-center dead-locking ofthe bolt in the 452(- tended lock position.

The lock is arranged to be actuated by means of aconventional lock cylinder 26 which. is mounted inconventional manner, as shown in FIG. 4, within an opening 27 formed in the sidewall 11. The innermost end of the lock cylinder is positioned within the casing and contains the usual offset cylinder plug 23 upon which a cam .29 is mounted for rotation.

A ring gear 30 is supported in concentric relation to the lock cylinder, the gear being provided; as shown in FIG. 4 with an annular flange 31 adapted. to seat. within an annular groove 32 formed in the inner surface of the side wall 11. The ring gear thus has a center of rotation coincident with the center of the lock cylinder, and is provided with teeth 33 throughout a portion of its periphery, and a gap 34 in a wall portion which is devoid of teeth. As shown in FIG. 1, the teeth of the ring gear are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the sector gear 20, and the gap 34 is adapted to receive theouter end of the cam 29 when it is rotated. Dueto. the eccentricity of the axes of rotation of the cam 29 and the ring gear 36, the cam will enter the gap 34, when the cam, is rotated. in a clockwise direction and force the ring gear to actuate the bolt structure from an extended position as shown in FIG. 1 to a retracted position as shown in FIG. 2. It will be observed that in both the extended and retracted positions of the bolt structure, the relative positions of the 3 gap 34 with respect to the cam positions is such as to permit movement of the cam out of the gap into the interior of the ring gear to such an extent that the cam may abut the inner wall of the ring gear.

While in the illustrated embodiment, a gap has been utilized in the ring gear, it will be readily appreciated that the same results may be obtained by modified structures, for example, a pin, roller or other obstruction travelling in a semicircle eccentric to the cylinder plug might be similarly utilized.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the crank pin is associated with an eccentric shoulder 35 which bears against one end of a spring 36 which is coiled intermediate its ends around a fixed pin 37 on the bolt structure, the other end of this spring being lodged behind a pin 38 carried by the bolt structure. This spring acts to force the crank pin 25 towards its limit position at the upper end of the slot 24, and prevent drifting or vibrating of the sector gear out of locked or unlocked condition when the bolt structure is respectively in the extended position and in a retracted position in which the sector gear 20 abuts. the pin 38. It will be observed that, after the bolt has been moved to fully locked position, or unlocked position, the spring 36 will then function to further motivate the ring gear 30 to respective limit positions in which the gap 34 will be moved beyond a position which will permit the cam 29 to move out of the gap to a position wholly within the ring gear. Thus, the lock must be positively locked before the key may be moved to a position permitting its removal.

It is this construction which provides additional flexibility o and renders the actuating mechanism substantially unsensitive to differences in cam length, shape, and offset of the plug within the cylinder body.

The bolt structure of the character disclosed is arranged to extend into an elongate slot opening of an associated keeper member, and is provided with automatically operable means for locking the bolt structure in extended position with respect to the associated keeper, such means being automatically responsive to bolt movement. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of dog members 39 are respectively pivotally mounted between the leg portions 16 and 17 for swinging movement on pivot pins 40-40. At the ends of the dog members outwardly positioned with respect to the pivot pins 40, the members are fitted with right angled end portions 41-41 which are arranged to project laterally beyond the edges of the leg portions 16 and 17, when the bolt structure is in extended position. In this position, outwardly extending projections 42-42 at the inner ends of the dog members engage the adjacent inner face of the front plate 13 adjacent the opening 14, such engagement acting during the movement of the bolt structure to its extended position, to swing the end portions 41-41 outwardly away from each other into their locking positions. This movement of the end portions is biased by a spring force operating in the opposite direction, such force being applied by a spring 43 which has its opposite ends operatively connected with the dog members and is coiled intermediate its ends around the fixed pin 37.

When the bolt is moved towards retracted position as shown in FIG. 2, by means of the actuating mechanism, the spring 43 will automatically function to move the end portions 4141 toward each other, as the projections 4242 are moved away from the front plate 13. The dog members will move to a stop position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, wherein it will be observed that the end portions 41-41 will be positioned inwardly of the lateral edges of the leg portions 16 and 17.

The lock arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is arranged for key control from one side only of the door. By modifying the lock arrangement of FIG. 1, it may be readily adapted for selective key actuation from opposite sides of the door in which the lock is installed, and particularly a door having a narrow stile. In the modified arrangement, a second key cylinder 26' is similarly mounted in offset relation to key cylinder 26 in an opening 27' formed in the side wall 12. In a like manner, a ring gear 30' is mounted with an annular flange 31' thereof being seated in an annular groove 32. The elements of the second key actuator corresponding to those of the first key actuator are identified by similar numbers except that they are primed. The ring gear 30' meshes with a gear 44 and the latter meshes with ring gear 30. In FIG. 3, it will be noted that the earns 29 and 29 are shown as being positioned in the associated gaps 34 and 34' respectively which is the position at which the cam in each case would begin to move the ring gear as the motion is continued to accomplish movement of the bolt structure to retracted position. Normally, however, the cams will be in a vertical position to admit of insertion and withdrawal of the actuating key in each case.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the invention is shown as being incorporated in a simplified modification, wherein the ring gear and sector gear have been replaced by a simple eccentric member 45 having a generally circular opening 46 therein for receiving the lock cylinder 26 therein, this circular opening being offset with respect to the center of the member 45 to provide an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of the key cylinder. The opening 46 connects with an outwardly displaced opening 47 by means of a gap 48 through which the end of the cam member 29 may project to rotate the eccentric member 45 between the positions at which the eccentric member will be releasably retained by means of a spring detent 49.

In this arrangement, the eccentric member is rotatable within an elongate opening 50 which in this case is formed directly in a bolt member 51 mounted for reciprocable linear movements within a casing 52 into extended and retracted positions. In this arrangement, it will be noted that the eccentric 45 is in a position which deadlocks the bolt in its locked position. Also, 360 rotation of the cam 29 will cause less rotation of the eccentric member 45.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a modified arrangement in the form of a latch having holdback and deadlock features. As shown, the latch includes a bolt 53 having a substantially rectangular portion 54 which is slidably mounted for reciprocable movement within the casing structure 55, a bow spring 56 positioned between the innermost end of the bolt and the adjacent wall of the casing normally operating to bias the bolt to a latching position.

The rectangular portion 54 is provided with a substantially rectangular opening 57 within which the actuating mechanism is positioned. The actuating mechanism in this case similarly includes a lock cylinder 26 with associated cam 29 similar to that of the structure described with respect to FIG. 1, the lock cylinder being mounted in the casing structure in the manner previously described.

In this modification, instead of utilizing a ring gear, a ring member 30" is utilized, this member being mounted for rotational movement in a manner similar to that of the ring gear 30, except that the ring 30" is mounted for rotation about an axis having eccentric relation to the axis of the lock cylinder. In this instance, the ring member 30" is constructed with three gaps 34a, 34b and 340 respectively, these gaps being in 120 spaced angular relation. Also, the ring member 30" is provided with a pair of radially projecting arms 58 and 59, these arms being in 60 angular relationship and symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the gap 340.

Considering now the operation of this modified structure, it will be observed that in the position shown in FIG. 6, the bolt 53 is free to be moved to a retracted position and returned to an extended latching position by the biasing action of spring 56.

If the cam 29 is now actuated by rotation in a clockwise direction, its end portion will enter the gap 34a and rotate the ring member throughan angle of 120. This rotational movement will cause the arm 58 to retract and hold back the bolt 53 in its retracted position.

Further clockwiserotation ofthe cam 29 will cause it to enter the gap 34c-and rotate-the ring member 3 through a further 120 angle toa position in which the arm 59 will deadlock the latch-in its extended position.

Assuming now that the cam is again rotated in a clockwise direction, it-will enter the gap 34b and return the ring member 30" toits original position.

From a study of this arrangement, it will be observed that the cam 29 may be operated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from any position. Furthermore, this construction may be readily varied as to operation by providing an additional cam and restricting the gaps as to operation by these cams. Positive stops may also be utilized to limit rotation of the ring member to something less than 360, if desired.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lock structure: a movably mounted bolt having an end movable to extended and retracted positions; a manually rotatable cam member; a rotatably mounted ring member surrounding said cam member and having an axis of rotation offset with respect to the axis of rotation of said cam member, said ring member having spaced abutments at one side thereof adapted to receive the end of the cam member therebetween at circumferentially spaced positions of rotation of said ring, whereby said abutments are respectively engageable to move said ring from one of its circumferential positions to the other; and a motion transmitting connection between said ring member and bolt for moving the bolt in response to said rotational movements of said ring member, and at said circumferentially spaced positions of rotation of the ring respectively position said bolt in its extended and retracted positions.

2. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a bolt mounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions through said opening; key-lock means supported on a side of said casing including a cylinder, cylinder plug and cam, said cam having an axis of rotation offset with respect to the axis of said cylinder; a rotatably mounted ring member surrounding said cylinder having an opening therein defining a pair of spaced abutments at one side of the ring adapted to receive the cam member therein at circumferentially spaced positions of rotation of said cam, engagement of the cam with one of said abutments being operative to rotate the ring in partial rotation in one direction, and engagement with the other to rotate the ring in a partial rotation in an opposite direction; and a connection between said ring member and bolt for moving the bolt in response to said partial rotational movements of said ring member to its extended and retracted positions respectively.

3. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a bolt mounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions through said opening; a manually rotatable cam member; a rotatably mounted ring member surrounding said cam member and having an axis of rotation offset with respect to the axis of rotation of said cam member, said ring member having abutment means engageable by said cam so as to cause limited rotation of the ring member; a connection between said ring member and bolt for moving the bolt in response to rotational movements of said ring member; and swingably mounted dogs carried by opposite sides of the outer end of said bolt having parts movable to a position projecting from the bolt when the bolt is extended, and a non-projecting position when the bolt is retracted, said movement of the dogs being responsive to bolt movement.

4. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a bolt mounted for movement in saidcasing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions through said opening; a rotatable sector gear having a drivingconnection withsaidbolt operative to selectively move said bolt to said positions; a rotatable ring gear meshing with said sector gear, said ring gear having spaced peripheral abutments; and key operated means including a cam member positioned in said ring gear for rotation about an axis offset with respect to the ring gear axis of rotation, the outermost end of said cam being movable into the space between said abutments for engagement therewith.

5. In a look: a casing structure having an opening therein; a bolt mounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions through said opening; a rotatable sector gear; a slot and pin connection between said sector gear and bolt operable to deadlock the bolt in extended position; a rotatable ring gear meshing with said sector gear, said ring gear having abutment means thereon; and key operated means including a cam member positioned in said ring gear for rotation about an axis offset with respect to the ring gear axis of rotation, the outermost end of said cam being selectively operable in opposite directions into cooperative relationship with said abutment means for actuating said bolt.

6. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a bolt mounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions through said opening; manually operable first cam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manually operable from one side thereof; second cam means spaced from said first cam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manually operable from an opposite side thereof; rotatable ring members respectively surrounding said first and second cam means, each of said ring members having abutment means engageable by the cam means associated therewith, whereby said rings may be selectively rotated; a motion transmitting connection between said ring members; and a connection between one of said ring members and said bolt for moving the bolt in response to the selective actuation of said cam means.

7. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a bolt mounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions through said opening; manually operable first cam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manually operable from one side thereof; second cam means spaced from said first cam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manually operable from an opposite side thereof; rotatable ring gears respectively surrounding said first and second cam means, each of said ring gears having abutment means engageable by the cam means associated therewith, whereby said ring gears may be selectively rotated; an idler gear interconnecting said ring gears for unitary movements; and. a sector gear meshing with one of said ring gears, said sector gear having a crank pin and slot connection with said bolt, whereby selective actuation of said first and second cam means will actuate said bolt.

8. In a lock: a casing structure; a bolt mounted for reciprocable movements in said casing and having an end movable to extended and retracted positions with respect to said casing, said bolt having a transverse elongate opening therein; manually operable means including a rotatable cam member; and means for actuating said bolt to said extended and retracted positions in response to rotations of said cam member including rotative means having a cylindrical part surrounding the axis of rotation of said cam member and containing adjacently spaced abutments on one side adapted to receive an end portion of said cam member during a portion of its rotation, whereby engagement of the cam with one of said abutments acts to move the cylindrical part in one direction and engagement with the other abutment to move the cylindrical part in an opposite direction, and a pivoted eccentric part movable With said cylindrical part positioned in the opening of said bolt, whereby movement of the eccentric part in response to rotations of said cylindrical part by said cam member Will operate said bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Eberly Nov. 20, 1877 Zeckhauser Dec. 30, 1913 Krarnarczyk Oct. 20, 1914 Fletcher Feb. 17, 1920 De Sevo June 20, 1920 Miller Sept. 26, 1922 1 Cooper et a1. May 22, 1956 Duvall July 15, 1958

Claims (1)

1. IN A LOCK STRUCTURE: A MOVABLY MOUNTED BOLT HAVING AN END MOVABLE TO EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS; A MANUALLY ROTATABLE CAM MEMBER; A ROTATABLY MOUNTED RING MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID CAM MEMBER AND HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION OFFSET WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID CAM MEMBER, SAID RING MEMBER HAVING SPACED ABUTMENTS AT ONE SIDE THEREOF ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE END OF THE CAM MEMBER THEREBETWEEN AT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POSITIONS OF ROTATION OF SAID RING, WHEREBY SAID ABUTMENTS ARE RESPECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE TO MOVE SAID RING FROM ONE OF ITS CIRCUMFERENTIAL POSITIONS TO THE OTHER; AND A MOTION TRANSMITTING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID RING MEMBER AND BOLT FOR MOVING THE BOLT IN RESPONSE TO SAID ROTATIONAL MOVEMENTS OF SAID RING MEMBER, AND AT SAID CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POSITIONS OF ROTATION OF THE RING RESPECTIVELY POSITION SAID BOLT IN ITS EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS.

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