US3385414A - Coin and key operated lock mechanism - Google Patents

Description

y 23, 1963 w. F. STACKHOUSE 3,385,414

7 COIN AND KEY OPERATED LOCK MECHANISM Filed May 29, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mum-n Hum INVENTOR. WELLS E STACKHOMSE 'A T TOR/VEYS May 28, 1968 w. P. STACKHOUSE 3,335,414

CCIN AND KEY OPERATED LOCK MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1967 E mm M mm H my F. S a F. w

@TTO'ZIGQ? May 28, 1968 w. F. STACKHOUSE 3,385,414

COIN AND KEY OPERATED LOCK MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 29. 1967 INVENTOR. 52 wens ESTACKHOUSE @LZZwQM A TTQBNEYS United States Patent 3,385,414 CQIN AND KEY OPERATED LQCK MECHANISM Wells F. Staekhouse, Lakewood, N.Y., assignor to American Locker Company, Inc, Jamestown, N.Y.

Filed May 29, 1967, Ser. No. 641,909

9 Claims. (Cl. 194-92) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved coin and key operated lock mechanism for storage lockers, vending machines, or the like; which is readily adaptable to either coin return or coin collection type services. The invention features a mechanically simplified fraud-proof construction adapted to be installed either as original equipment or to convert existing equipment to coin-return or coin collect type operations. The lock includes a novel magnet arrangement for blocking passage of counterfeit coins and operation of the lock by the key. The lock also features an improved arrangement for releasing a bent or otherwise jammed coin, and an improved construction preventing door-slam damage to the lock bolt. Both the coin entrance and exit slots are shaped to prevent access to the interior by means of lock picking devices, and the bolt latch is springbiased to prevent fraudulant operation.

Background of the invention The invention relates particularly to coin and key controlled lock mechanisms for use in storage lockers, parcel and baggage checking lockers, vending cabinets or the like, such as are referred to for example in my earlier Patent No. 3,228,506. Specifically, the invention relates to that type of lock which is adapted to be arranged so that when the locker door is unlocked the key cannot be removed from the lock. Then, upon insertion of a proper coin in the lock, the key may be turned to extend the lock bolt for locking the door and securing the valuables inside the locker.

In some cases it is desired to provide lockable temporary storage space, as for store customers, club members, school children or the like, when it is not desired to charge for the use of the lockers but when it is desired to furnish this service free except for use of a coin which thus becomes a deposit for safe return of the key. It is a feature of the present invention that the lock thereof may be readily adapted to render either prepaid or free service to the locker patrons; the deposit coins being directed either into a collection box or into a coin return pocket upon the patrons return and reopening of the locker. It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved lock mechanism of the character above described, and possessing the features and advantages referred to hereinabove.

The accompanying drawing The lock mechanism of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a bank of lockers, illustrating a locker door equipped with a lock mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale front elevational view of the lock unit per se disassembled from the locker door but showing its cooperative relation with the locker frame and strike portion as suggested by section line 22 of FIG. 3;

FIG. .3 is an enlarged scale fragmentary sectional view taken as suggested by line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as suggested by line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

3,385,414 Patented May 28, 1968 FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 4 but shows a retainer plate portion thereof removed;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 and 8 correspond to FIG. 5 but show the mechanism in locked and subsequently unlocked conditions, respectively;

FIGS. 9, 10, 11 are sectional views taken as suggested by lines 99, 1010, and 1111 of FIG. 4, respectively; and

FIG. 12 is a disassembled perspective view of the lock bolt per se.

As shown by way of example in the drawing herewith, the lock mechanism of the invention is enclosed within a two-part casing comprising an open box-shaped front cover portion 15 and an open box-shaped rear cover portion designated generally at 16 which telescopically slipfits about the front cover portion 15 to provide in combination therewith a completely closed box-like container for the lock mechanism per se which will be described in detail hereinafter. Thus the container structure comprising the casing parts 15-16 houses the lock mechanism as a unit and facilitates the mounting thereof behind a locker door panel or the like as designated at 18 in the drawing herewith. As best shown at FIGS. 9, 10, the casing parts 15-16 are readily held in assembled relation as by means of studs 29 or the like, and the lock unit is readily mounted on the locker door panel as by means of rivets or the like as indicated at 22; the door panel 18 being suitably apertured to accommodate projection therethrough of the conically shaped external hub portion 24 of the cylinder lock device, which is indicated genorally at 25 and which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The lock device per se may be of any suitable cylindrical tumbler type lock or the like such as is adapted to be operated by means of a key 26 (FIGS. 3, 10) whereby the nose portion 28 of the lock bolt 29 is caused to alternately retract from and project into locking engagements with a suitable lock strike. For example the strike may comprise an apertured portion 30 of a flange 32 comprising part of the adjacent cabinet wall structure, which is indicated generally at 34. As best shown at FIG. 3, the flange portion 32 may be advantageously shaped of channel-sectioned form to receive therein, when the door is closed, a rearwardly bent side flange portion 36 of the locker door construction; a rubber cushion strip as indicated at 37 (FIG. 3) being preferably provided to cushion any slamming closures of the locker door. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, a bolt support bracket 38 is spot welded to the casing piece 15 and terminates as shown at 39 close to the path of the lock bolt nose 28. Thus, if the door is locked open (prematurely) any slamming of the door will not damage the bolt nose, because the nose is backed-up by the bracket part 39 to prevent any bending of the bolt arts. p The lock bolt per se is perhaps best illustrated at FIG. 12 and may comprise as shown therein a multi-layered plate metal structure; although it will be apparent that the device might be fabricated in any other manner such as by molding, or casting, or machining it from a solid block of material. In any case the lock bolt will include in addition to the nose portion 28 a horizontal slot portion 40 which provides clearance for a coin gauge pin 42 extending from a bell crank 44 which pivotably mounts upon the front cover plate 15 as indicated at 46. The lock bolt is also apertured to provide a horizontal slot as indi cated at 48 to accommodate therethrough the barrel of the cylinder lock 25. Hence the bolt is free to reciprocate in horizontal directions. At its inner end, the lock barrel connects as by means of a key screw 49 with a crank arm 50 which in turn carries a stud 51 which 3 pivotably works in a branch slot indicated at 52 formed in the lock bolt.

As shown at FIGS. 4-8, the lock bolt is vertically notched as indicated at 54, and the bell crank 44 carries a laterally extending stud 56 which normally engages within the notched portion 54 of the lock bolt so as to prevent the latter from being shifted toward the right as viewed in the drawing herewith at FIGS. 4, 5, 7, 8. The bell crank 44 is spring-loaded to rotate in clockwise direction, thereby maintaining the stud 56 in bolt-blocking position by means of a spring as indicated at 47 mounted as shown at 48 on a stud which also acts as a slide guide for the bolt 29 as it shifts position. A guide pad 57 is also furnished as shown (FIGS. 7, 9, 11) to assist in guiding the bolt.

A coin receiving slot as indicated at 60 is provided in the lock bolt structure to receive in vertically edgewise descending relation a coin of prescribed denomination for release of the lock mechanism. When a coin of appropriate size is deposited to fall by gravity through the chute portion 60 as into the position shown in FIG. the coin thereupon slides into position between a bushing 62 which is carried on pin 64 and the pin 42 so as to bear laterally against the pin 42 which is carried by the bell crank 44. When the key 26 is now turned the crank arm 50 pushes the bolt to the right. A flange 70 at the rear end of the bolt forces the coin to drive the bell crank to pivot sutficiently in counterclockwise direction as to raise the pin 56 upwardly out of the notched portion 54 of the lock bolt (as shown in FIG. 7) thereby releasing the bolt for displacement into locking position as shown in FIG. 7.

Incidental to this shifting of the bolt the coin will be thereby freed to fall from against the flange "70 on the bolt, downwardly and into position against a lower flange "7a which is also carried at the rear end of the bolt structure. The flange '72 is so arranged that when the bolt is in the position shown in FIG. 7 the coin is thereby held against a bottom flange portion 74 of the casing structure in such a way as to prevent the coin from falling through the coin release aperture 75. However, when the key is subsequently reinserted and turned in reverse direction so as to unlock the mechanism, the lock bolt is thereby shifted as to the position shown in FIG. 8, whereupon the locker door is now again free to be opened and the coin falls through the exit slot 75. Whereas in the drawing herewith, the lock mechanism is illustrated to release the coin into a coin return pocket as indicated at 76, the coin exit slot 75 may be as easily arranged to deliver into a coin collection reservoir.

As best shown in FIGS. 6, 9, 11, a roller shaped permanent magnet as indicated at 80 is fixed to a shaft 82 which is carried by a bracket 84 so as to dispose the magnet 80 in registry with the circularly enlarged end portion of the slot 40 in the lock bolt. The bracket 84 is carried by means of a retainer plate 85 which is fastened to pin 64 which in turn is based upon the casing structure 15. A compression spring 86 is arranged between the bracket 84 and the magnet shaft 82 so as to spring-bias the magnet outwardly away from interference with the lock bolt, as shown in FIG. 9. However, if and whenever a counterfeit coin of ferrous content is disposed in the mechanism as shown in FIG. 11, the magnet will be drawn by the slug into the position shown in FIG. 11, whereby the magnet 80 enters the slot 40 of the bolt. This prevents the bolt from being shifted toward locking position.

In order to remove a slug such as has been entrapped in the mechanism as described hereinabove, a scriber type tool is inserted in an aperture 90 which is formed through the casing structures, so as to press against the bushing 62; a compression spring 92 being thereby depressed to permit the bushing to retract from holding position under the slug whereby the slug may be freed to fall through the exit. Manual jarring of the lock mechanism will facilitate this slug release operation, but it will be appreciated that the purpose of the device is to obviate the need for complete disassembly of the lock mechanism in order to clear it from any slug jams.

The coin insertion opening through the casing structure as shown at 94 is set out of line with the coin receiving slot portion 60 of the bolt 29, and a guide ramp 95 is provided (FIG. 9) to angle the descending coin so as to slide down into the bolt slot 60. As best shown at 96 in FIG. 12, the back wall of the slot portion 60 of the lock bolt is struck out slightly so as to provide a shingle like edge against which any picking tool will be caught. Also note that tampering entrance through the bottom slot 75 of the casing structure is prevented by reason of the return bent flange portion 76 and the fact that the bolt 29 delivers the coin toward the exit slot in a vertically inclined attitude.

As illustrated at 98, a clothes-pin type spring is mounted on the bolt structure by means of a pin 99 in such manner that the legs of the spring device elastically encompass the lock cylinder. The spring arms are formed so that the spring device functions to bias the lock cylinder alternatively towards fully unlocked or fully locked position. This assures precise operation of the mechanism as will be explained more fully hereinafter in response to the coin and manual key controls thereof.

As best shown at FIG. 10, the rear wall of the casing member 16 is apertured as indicated at 100 to permit the insertion of a thin walled socket wrench for engagement with the head of the key screw 49. This facilitates removal of the lock plug by authorized personnel only, so that the lock combination may be changed or the lock plug replaced, as may be required.

It is a particular feature of the lock mechanism of the present invention that insertion of a coin in the inlet slot and its reception by the mechanism as shown at FIG. 4, does not in itself release the bolt from the detent pin 56. It is only subsequent to settlement of the coin in position as shown and manual turning of the key so as to slightly shift the bolt against the holding action of the spring 98, that the bell crank 44 is displaced to lift the detent pin 56 out of holding position relative to the lock bolt. Accordingly, the lock mechanism of the present invention may not be tripped as by inserting a slip of paper or the like into the coin inlet passageway, such as will enable tampering in the case of prior lock designs.

Thus, it will be appreciated that, as explained hereinabove the lock mechanism of the invention is of structurally simple and rugged form and includes provisions insuring against operation by counterfeit coins and/or lock tripping devices; as well as improved facility for releasing counterfeit coins when entrapped by the mechanism without requiring dismantling of the mechanism. Also, the mechanism includes improved safeguards against door slamming damage; and it will be understood that whereas only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described hereinabove, various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A coin and key operated lock mechanism comprising,

a box-shaped container adapted to be fixed on a door panel or the like,

said container housing a lock mechanism comprising a bolt member horizontally shiftable within said container and having a nose portion thereof alternatively retractable and projectable therefrom for unlocking and locking engagement with a strike device,

a cylinder lock fixed transversely of the interior of said container and having a key-receptive end portion extending through the front cover portion of said container and having a crank arm keyed to the plug portion of said lock and extending radially therefrom into prvotal connection with said bolt member,

a spring device carried by said bolt and resiliently engaginga stationary member for spring-biasing said bolt either toward fully locked Or fully unlocked position,

a bell crank pivotally mounted on said container and carrying at one arm thereof a first abutment surface,

a spring zj-device associated with said bell crank and operable to spring-load the latter so that said first abutment surface normally extends into motionblockin'g relation with respect to said bolt member,

said boltt'member being formed with a coin drop. passageway therethrough extending from an upper disposed entrance slot portion and downwardly therefrom into communication with a lower coin exit slot portion,

said bolt member coin passageway including an upper rear abutment portion disposed as to cooperate with a second abutment surface at the other arm portion of saidbell crank to interrupt downward passage of a coin," whereby whenever said bolt is key-actuated away from its fully unlocked position a coin then residing in said passageway will thereupon bear againstTsaid second abutment surface portion of said bell crank to cause the latter to pivot so as to release said bolt member for displacement toward full locking position under impetus of the lock key, and whereby upon further movement of said bolt member into full locking position the coin slides further downwardly in said passageway and comes to rest upon a bottom wall portion of said container while being retained thereat by a lower rear abutment portion of said passageway through said bolt member,

and a coin exit slot formed in the bottom wall portion of said container so disposed as to permit gravity discharge of the coin therethrough only upon return shifting of the bolt member to unlocking position in response to turning of the key, whereby the coin is free to fall into a coin disposal device extending below said container.

2. A lock- 'mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coin drop passageway through said bolt member is laterally inclined and said entrance slot and exit slot portions thereof are out of line.

3. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bolt member is apertured therethrough to provide a horizontally extending slot through which said lock cylinder slide-fits.

4. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein a magnet member is spring mounted relative to the container in such position as to be magnetically attracted by a ferrous disc disposed in said passageway and to be thereby drawn into said slotted portion of said bolt member, for blocking operation of said bolt member.

5. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 4 wherein said container structures are apertured to permit entrance of a scriber type tool to release a coin or slug entrapped in said passageway, without dismantling of the lock mechanism.

6. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said container portion includes a flange portion extending into position so as to back up the protruding nose portion of said bolt member when the latter is projected from said container in locking position, thereby protecting the bolt member from destructive bending forces in event of slamming closed the associated door panel when the lock bolt is in extended position.

7. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coin entrance and coin exit passageways are vertically angled.

8. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rear wall surface of said coin drop passageway is shingled to deter tampering.

9. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plug portion of said cylinder lock is fixed in lockassembled relation by means of a machine screw headed at the rear end of the cylinder and inside of the container wall, said container wall being apertured to permit'insertion of a special wrench only from externally of the casing, whereby the lock plug may be removed for replacement or adjustment without requiring dismantling of the entire lock mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner.

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