US3452563A

US3452563A - Combination lock mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3452563A
Application number: US638107A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wallace E Atkinson
Original assignee: Long Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: Long Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 1967-05-12
Filing date: 1967-05-12
Publication date: 1969-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1986-07-01

Description

July 1, 1969 w. E. ATKINSON COMBINATION LOCK MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1967 INVENTOR WALLACE E.A-r KINSON July 1, 1969 w. E. ATKINSON COMBINATION LOCK MECHANISM -'Sheet Filed May 12, 1967 K 0 .3 5 oo 8 c L a r: 9 5 a L. 4 6 6 m5 2 333 55 w LE 9 Q2 .V IM MN 4 1 m k. 3; c 1 a 5 %3 m -u lmlv. L T B |I.|6

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United States Patent 3,452,563 COMBINATION LOCK MECHANISM Wallace E. Atkinson, Petersburg, Va., assignor to Long Manufacturing Company, Inc., Petersburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed May 12, 1967, Ser. No. 638,107

Int. Cl. Eb 37/12 U.S. Cl. 70-312 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination lock for luggage including a keeper on one of the luggage sections having a mounting base and a front plate hinged thereto, and a latch section on the other luggage section including a fixed plate, a cover plate slidable thereon, and combination dial assemblies selectively locking or releasing the cover plate for sliding movement. Means on the cover plate holds the keeper front plate in closed position interlocking the keeper and latch section at the locked position of the cover plate and releases them at the release position of the cover plate.

The present invention relates in general to a combination lock structure involving a plurality of rotatable com bination dial members adapted to be individually set to a predetermined combination of dial numbers, for use in a wide variety of lock applications, including lock mechanisms for luggage receptacles having separable parts to be releasably secured in closed position, padlock mechanisms, door locks, automobile glove compartments, furniture locks, and similar applications.

While combination locks have been used for many years in a wide variety of locking applications, such combination locks in the main, have been of relatively complex and expensive construction, involving a plurality of peripherally gated tumbler wheels operated from a single dial. The present invention is concerned with a simpler version of combination locking mechanisms suitable for less costly locking applications, wherein a plurality of dial members, each of which is adapted to be angularly positioned to a predetermined combination number, are associated with a bolt member and keeper in such a way as to admit movement of the :bolt member in a manner to release the combination lock, and wherein the operator can readily change the combination of the lock when the lock is in unlocked condition.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination lock construction applicable to a wide variety of installation conditions, which is relatively simple in its construction and secure in its operation.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination lock construction involving a plurality of individually adjustable dial members each angularly adjustable to a particular number position of a two, three or more combination and which involves a novel dial assembly construction readily permitting changing of the combination in a simple manner when the lock is in unlocked condition.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination lock mechanism of the typedescribed in the preceding paragraphs which is particularly adaptable for use on luggage receptacles and the like having a pair of hinged separable container sections.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination lock mechanism having a dial subassembly including a plurality of individually adjustable dial members for establishing the combination of the lock and a second sub-assembly having a hinged or otherwise mating component which is normally interlocked with the first sub-assembly in a latching condition and which Patented July 1, 1969 is released by movement of a portion of the first subassembly when the proper combination has been dialed to release the sub-assemblies for withdrawal from each other.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the combination lock mechanism of the present invention illustrated in closed position on a luggage receptacle;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the two basic sub-assemblies of the combination lock of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a section view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section view through the dial carrying sub-assembly of the combination lock taken along the line 44 of FIGURE '3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a section view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3 at the plane of separation between the two sub-assemblies showing the keeper sub-assembly in open condition, and

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the dial member and spindle sub-assembly in inverted condition.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the combination lock mechanism of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference character 10, is shown in position in FIGURE 1 on a luggage receptacle, indicated generally by the reference character 11, as one example of a suitable application for the lock of the present invention. The combination lock 10 comprises a dial-carrying sub-assembly 12, fixed to one separable section 13 of the luggage receptacle 11, and a keeper sub-assembly 14 fixed to the other separable section 15' of the luggage receptacle 11, the dial-carrying and

keeper sub-assemblies

12 and 14 in this illustrated example being mounted on the wall of the respective luggage receptacle sections adjacent the plane of separation 16 between the

receptacle sections

13 and 15.

The keeper sub-assembly 14 is relatively simple construction and comprises a base plate 17 adapted to be secured to the luggage wall by suitable fastening means, such as screws, rivets, or the like, having a guide tongue 18 projecting therefrom in the plane of base plate 17, a hook receiving recess 19 adjacent the guide tongue 18, opening through the edge of the base plate 17 confronting the sub-assembly 12 and a pair of hinge knuckles 20 plate 17 is a hinged front plate 21 having coacting hinge knuckle members 22 adjacent one end thereof to interfit with the base plate hinge knuckles 20 and receive a pivot pin 23 therein about which a torsion spring 23a is wound. The hinged front plate 21 has an inwardly facing horizontal flange 24 at the edge confronting the sub-assembly 12 provided with three openings or

notches

25a and 25b and 250 therein, the notch 25a including an elongated excursion 25a' extending parallel to the plane of the front face of front plate 21 toward the adjacent end to latch the front plate in closed position, as will be later explained.

The dial-carrying sub-assembly 12, which is adapted to be disposed in aligned coplanar relation to the keeper sub-assembly 14, is also formed of two basic portions, an inner mounting base portion 30 adapted to be fixed by suitable fastening means such as screws, rivets, or the like, to a wall of the luggage section 13, and an outer cover plate portion 31 which is supported for lateral or endwise rectilinear reciprocative movement relative to the mounting base portion 30. The cover plate portion 31 is provided with a plurality of wells or dial housing cavities 32, three of which are present in the herein described illustrative embodiment, which opens through the front and rear surfaces of the cover plate portion 31 and are shaped to accommodate the outer halves of circular cross-section or wheel-like dial members 33, which are here shown to be of frusto-conical configuration having dial marking lines and dial numerals on the periphery thereof so as to be visible to the operator from the front of the lock mechanism. This tapering or frusto-conical configuration of the dial members makes it possible to cast the numbers into the dial members, which is much simpler and less expensive than stamping the numbers as would be required with cylindrical dial members. The dial housing cavities 32 also have

axial extensions

34 and 35 lying generally along the center axes of the dial members 33 and opening through the longitudinal edges of the cover plate portion 31.

Disposed within these

cavities

32, 34 and 35 are the three dial assemblies, each consisting of the frusto-conical dial member 33 heretofore mentioned, and a dial spindle 36. Each dial spindle 36 is in the form of an axially elongated pin or shaft which is supported for rotation about its axis and for limited axial movement in the cover plate portion 31. The spindle 36 includes a first cylindrical spindle section 36a of a smaller diameter journaled adjacent its free end in a complemental semicylindrical constricted portion 34a of the cavity extension 34 and surrounded by a coil spring 37 over the major region of the spindle section 36a. Adjoining the section 36a is an intermediate, integral annular collar or flange 36b having an outwardly opening gate or recess 36b in the periphery thereof at a selected angular position and a plurality of eccentrically located, axially elongated interlocking pins, shown in the illustrated example as a diametrically opposed pair of pins 3612 at other angular positions thereon. A stepped second spindle section 360 terminates in a pin-like formation at its free end of narrow diameter journaled in a complemental portion of the cavity extension 35 opening through the edge of the cover plate portion 31 confronting the keeper sub-assembly 14.

The frusto-conical dial member 33 of each of the dial assemblies has an axial bore extending therethrough to accommodate the stepped spindle section 360, the bore having a first end portion 33a adjacent the collar 36b of slightly smaller diameter than the collar 36b of the spindle 36 provided with ten concave notches in the inwardly facing surface of the constricted portion 33a designed to receive the interlocking pins 36b" at any of the ten relative angular positions of the dial member 33 corresponding to the ten dial numbers on the periphery of the dial member 33. The spindle 36 is maintained in centered relation to the dial member 33 by the diametrically opposed pair of interlocking pins 36b" and by the constricted lower bore portion 33b defining a central opening which closely fits a portion of the stepped spindle section 360, for example, immediately adjacent the larger diameter step therein. If desired, the lower bore portion may be of larger diameter, and an annular washer having an appropriately sized center opening may be removably fitted within the lower bore portion of the dial member 33.

The dial housing cavities 32 at the ends thereof adjoining cavity extensions 34 are provided with transition shoulder portions 32a to engage the ends of the respective dial members 33 and restrain them against axial movement toward extensions 34 with the spindle 36 while the extensions 34 are of appropriate size to permit sufiicient vertical movement of the collar portions 36b to disengage the diametrically opposed interlocking pins 36b" from the interlocking notches in the constricted portion 33a of the bore in each of the dial members 33. The coil springs 37 are maintained in slightly compressed condition by engagement of the ends thereof with the spindle collars 36b and with the transition surfaces of the dial housing cavities 34 at the constricted portions 34a thereof, thus continuously biasing the spindles 36 axially toward the keeper to a position maintaining the interlocking pins 36b" thereof in engagement with the coactive notches in the constricted bore portions of the dial members 33. The pinlike end portions of the stepped spindle sections 360 normally project a short distance beyond the cover plate portion 31, as shown in the drawings, and are normally accommodated in the

notches

25a, 25b and 25c of the front plate 21 of keeper sub-assembly 14 The mounting base portion 30 of the dial-carrying subassembly 12 also has dial housing cavities 40 but are laterally enlarged somewhat to permit a selected degree of lateral movement of the dial members 33 with the cover plate portion 31 relative to the mounting base portion 30. Integral stepped fence formations in the form of relatively sharp wedge-shaped shoulders 41 are provided on the mounting base portion 30 in a common plane adjacent the spindle collars 36b to be received in the spindle collar gates 36b when the dial assemblies are all adjusted to the proper angular positions for the selected combination of the lock, permitting the desired degree of relative endwise movement of the cover plates portion 31 with respect to the mounting base portion 30 by reception of the fence forming shoulders 41 in the gates 36b. A slightly raised ridge 42, here shown to be of rectangular cross-section, extending from end to end along the front face of the mounting base portion 30 in parallelism with the longitudinal edges thereof projects into a complemental slideway groove 43 in the rear face of the cover plate portion 31 to guide the latter for rectilinear endwise movement, and a spring 44 housed in a relatively shorter well 45 in the mounting base portion 30 and a relatively longer well 46 in the cover plate portion 31, normally biases the cover plate portion 31 to a latching position in precise registry with the underlying base portion 30. The mounting base portion 30 is preferably provided with integrally casted tubular studs 47 projecting from the rear thereof to extend through suitable openings in the front wall of the luggage container to secure the mounting base portion 30 to the luggage, and with laterally elongated slots 48 for receiving shouldered tubular studs 48a integrally casted on the cover plate portion 31 to secure the

portions

30 and 31 together for relative endwise movement. Conventional means, such as the spring detent strip 49 are also provided on the mounting base 30 having detent finger formations 49a bearing upon the peripheries of the dial members 33 to engage the dial marking lines and thereby frictionally restrain the dial members 33 at the annular positions to which they are manually adjusted by the operator.

A locking hook formation 50 extends from the edge of the mounting base portion 30 confronting the keeper at a position corresponding to the hook receiving recess 19 of the keeper sub-assembly base plate 17 to be received therein, the projecting portion of the hook 50 extending forwardly to underlie the horizontal flange portion 24 of the keeper front plate 21 lying between the

notches

25a and 25b when the keeper front plate 21 is in closed coplanar relation to its associated base plate 17 to hold the keeper sub-assembly 14 and dial carrying sub-assembly 12 against relative withdrawal from each other. The cover plate portion 31 of the dial-carrying sub-assembly 12 also has a laterally elongated lug 51 disposed to normally interfit in the excursion 25a of the top flange 24 of keeper sub-assembly 14 to hold the keeper front plate 21 in closed coplanar relation with its associated base plate 17.

In the operation of the hereinabove described combination lock mechanism, assuming the

sub-assemblies

12 and 14 to both be in closed position interlocked with each other, the combination is dialed by the operator by engaging the forwardly exposed peripheral surface portions of the dial members 33 extending forwardly through the front surface of the cover plate portion 31 of dial-carrying sub-assembly 12 until the dial markings on the peripheries of the dial members 33 corresponding to the selected combination of the lock are centered in the front openings for the dial members defined by the housing cavities 32. Such adjustment of the dial members 33 and their associated dial assemblies locates the gates 36b of each of the spindle collars 36b immediately adjacent and opening toward their associated fence-forming shoulders 41 of the mounting base portion 30 to accommodate the designed endwise lateral movement of the cover plate portion 31 relative to its associated mounted base portion 30. This designed amount of movement is adequate to shift the lug 5.1 on the cover plate portion 31 of subassembly 12 out of the excursion 25a in the top flange 24 of the keeper sub-assembly front plate 21, freeing the front plate 21 for outward pivotal movement about the hinge pin 23 responsive to the torsion spring 23a on the hinge pin to withdraw the flange portion 24 from holding relation with the hook portion of locking hook 50 extending from the mounting base 30 of sub-assembly 12. This frees the two

sub-assemblies

12 and 14 and their associated luggage sections for withdrawal from each other. When the lock mechanism is thus in open position, the pin-like ends of the spindles sections 36c are exposed to manipulation to change the combination of the lock if the operator so desires. This is accomplished by merely pushing inwardly of the

casing members

30, 31 on one or more of the exposed ends of the dial spindles 36 until they are flush with the case of sub-assembly 12, which axial movement of the spindle 36 is adequate to dislodge the diametrically opposed interlocking pins 36b" from the associated notches in the constricted bore portions 33a of the associated dial members 33, and interlocks the spindle gates 3612 with fence portions 41' whereupon the dial members 33 can be manually rotated to some other angular position corresponding to another dial number and the spindle 36 released to again interlock the spindle inerlocking pins 36b" with the dial member 33.

To reclose the lock, the two

sub-assemblies

12 and 14 are merely returned to aligned abutting relation and the keeper front plate 21 is rotated inwardly to coplanar relation with its associated base plate 17. During this inward movement of the keeper front plate 21, the inclined surface bounding one edge of the recess 25a engages the lug 51 and forces the cover plate portion 31 of sub-assembly 12 laterally relative to its associated mounting base portion 30 to a sufiicient extent to cause the lug 51 to snap into the excursion 25a and secure the lock mechanism in locked position.

While this combination lock mechanism has been specifically described in this illustrative embodiment in association with a luggage receptacle, it will be apparent that the combination lock mechanism is readily adaptable to a wide variety of other applications, and that the dial and spindle mechanism herein described may be used in many other types of locks including padlocks, file cabinet locks, or any application where changing of the combination may be desired.

While but one detailed embodiment of the present invention has been specifically shown and described, it will be apparent that various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination lock comprising a latch housing including a movable member shiftable between latching and release positions along a selected axis of the housing, a plurality of rotatable dial assemblies for selectively blocking movement of said movable member to said release position and releasing the same for such movement, each of said dial assemblies comprising an axially elongated spindle having opposite end portions supported by said housing at selected normal axial positions for axial movement along and rota-tion about respective parallel spindle axes arranged perpendicular to and spaced along said selected axis and an annular dial wheel member supported on an intenmediate portion of the respective spindles, each of said dial wheel members including an end face perpendicular to said spindle axes and a substantially circular indicia bearing periphery concentric with said spindle axes exposed for observation and manipulation from externally of the housing and having a central bore encircling said intermediate portion and accommodating relative axial and rotational movement of the dial wheel member on the spindle, said spindles each having an annular collar formation thereon of larger diameter than said central bore to abut said end face of the associated dial wheel member at said normal position and limit relative axial movement therefrom of the spindle in a first axial direction, said collar formations each having a peripheral gate recess at a selected angular position to receive confronting portions of said movable member and permit movement thereof to said release position at selected angular positions of said spindles, means resiliently biasing said spindles axially in said first axial direction, said spindles and dial wheel members having normally engaged formations thereon coupling the same in any of a plurality of relative angular positions for corresponding rotation and decoupling the same for independent rotation of the dial wheel members upon relative axial displacement of said spindles in a second direction opposite to said first axial direction from said normal axial positions, and a corresponding end portion of each of said spindles projecting to exposed position through an edge of said housing for manual axial movement of the spindles in said second direction to positions decoupling them from said dial members.

2. In a combination lock as defined in claim 1, a keeper member disposed adjacent said edge of said latch housing when the lock is in selected closed position, said keeper member having recess means receiving said corresponding end portions of each of said spindles projecting to exposed positions through said edge of said housing and enclosing said last-mentioned end portions in shielded relation against exposure to external manipulation, said latch housing having means for selectively latching the same with said keeper member, and said keeper member having means movable upon unlatching of the same relative to said latch housing for exposing said corresponding end portions of said spindles for manual axial movement of the spindles in said second direction.

3. In a combination lock as defined in claim 1, said spindles each having eccentric pin means adjacent said collar formation and said central bore being peripherally notched to receive said pin means upon axial movement of the spindles to said normal positions at a plurality of angular posit-ions of the dial members relative to the spindles corresponding to the different lock combination numbers desired to be available.

4. In a combination lock as defined in claim 1, said latch housing including a laterally elongated stationary mounting base and a laterally elongated cover plate therefor substantially co-extensive with said base and defining said movable member, said cover plate having cavities accommodating portions of said dial members and spindles therein for movement therewith between said latching and release positions, and said mounting base having fense formations thereon disposed immediately adjacent said collar formations preventing movement of said dial assemblies and said cover plate carrying the same to said release position and receivable into said gate recesses when the dial members and spindles occupy selected angular positions conforming to the combination of the lock to permit release movement of the cover plate.

5. In a combination lock a latch portion having a laterally elongated stationary mounting base and a laterally elongated cover plate therefor substantially coextensive With said base, shiftable between latching and release positions, a plurality of rotatable dial assemblies for selectively blocking movement of said cover plate to said release position and releasing the same for such movement, said dial assemblies respectively comprising axially elongated spindles supported at selected normal axial positions for axial movement and rotation about parallel spindle axes arranged perpendicular to and spaced along a selected reference axis and substantially circular dial members supported on the spindles for rotation about the respective spindle axes having indicia bearing peripheries exposed for observation and manipulation from externally of the lock, said spindles having gating means permitting movement of said cover plate to said release position at selected angular positions of said spindles, said spindles and dial members having normally engaged formations thereon coupling the same in any of a plurality of relative angular positions for corresponding rotation and decoupling the same for independent rotation of the dial members upon selected axial displacement of said spindles relative to said dial members from said normal axial positions, said spindles having terminal portions exposed only when the lock is in a selected open condition for manual axial movement of the spindles to positions decoupling them from said dial members, said gating means including an annular collar formation on each of said spindles having a peripheral gate recess at a selected angular position adjustable relative to confronting portions of said movable member to receive the confronting portions and accommodate movement of said movable member to said release position, said spindles each having eccentric pin means adjacent said collar formation and said dial members having a bore portion notched to receive said pin means upon axial movement of the spindles to said normal positions at a plurality of angular positions of the dial members relative to the spindles corresponding to the different lock combination numbers desired to be available, said cover plate having cavities accommodating portions of said dial members and spindles therein for movement therewith between said latching and release positions, said mounting base having fence formations thereon disposed immediately adjacent said collar formations preventing movement of said dial assemblies and said cover plate carrying the same to said release position and receivable into said gate recesses when dial members and spindles occupy selected angular positions conforming to the combination of the lock to permit release movement of the cover plate, a keeper portion including a base plate portion and a front plate portion hinged thereto for arcuate movement between a closed position and an open position, said latch portion including a hook member projecting therefrom, said front plate portion having shoulder means engaging said hook member when said keeper portion is in closed position to restrain the same in latched condition and releasing said hook member when said keeper portion is in open position, and said cover plate of said latch portion having means engageable with said keeper front plate portion for restraining the latter in closed position when said cover plate is in latching position and for releasing the front plate portion to open condition when the cover plate is moved to release position.

6. In a combination lock as defined in claim 5, said front plate of said keeper portion having recess means receiving said terminal portions of said spindles in enclosed relation shielded against exposure to external manipulation when said front plate is in closed condition.

7. In a combination lock a latch portion having a laterally elongated stationary mounting base and a laterally elongated cover plate therefor substantially coextensive with said base shiftable between latching and release positions, a plurality of rotatable dial assemblies for selectively blocking movement of said cover plate to said release position and releasing the same for such movement, said dial assemblies respectively comprising axially elongated spindles supported at selected normal axial positions for axial movement and rotation about parallel spindle axes arranged perpendicular to and spaced along a selected reference axis and substantially circular dial members supported on the spindles for rotation about the respective spindle axes having indicia bearing peripheries exposed for observation and manipulation from externally of the lock, said spindles having gating means permitting movement of said cover plate to said release position at selected angular positions of said spindles, said spindles and dial members having normally engaged formations thereon coupling the same in any of a plurality of relative angular positions for corresponding rotation and decoupling the same for independent rotation of the dial members upon selected axial displacement of said spindles relative to said dial members from said normal axial positions, said spindles having terminal portions exposed only when the lock is in a selected open condition for manual axial movement of the spindles to positions decoupling them from said dial members, said cover plate having cavities accommodating positions of said dial members and spindles therein for movement therewith between said latching and release positions, said mounting base having fence formations thereon disposed immediately adjacent said gating means preventing movement of said dial assemblies and said cover plate carrying the same to said release position and accommodating movement of said dial assemblies and cover plate when said dial members and spindles occupy selected angular positions conforming to the combination of the lock to permit release movement of the cover plate, a keeper portion including a base plate portion and a front plate portion hinged thereto for arcuate movement be tween a closed position and an open position, said latch portion including a hook member projecting therefrom, said front plate portion having shoulder means engaging said hook member when said keeper portion is in closed position to restrain the same in latched condition and releasing said hook member when said keeper portion is in closed position to restrain the same in latched condition and releasing said hook member when said keeper portion is in open position, and said cover plate of said latch portion having means engageable with said keeper front plate portion for restraining the latter in closed position when said cover plate is in latching position and for releasing the front plate portion to open condition when the cover plate is moved to release position.

8. In a combination lock as defined in claim 7, said front plate of said keeper portion having recess means receiving said terminal portions of said spindles in enclosed relation shielded against exposure to external manipulation when said front plate is in closed condition.

9. In a combination lock as defined in claim 8, said latch portion and said keeper portion each being in the configuration of a laterally elongated rectangular solid adapted to be disposed respectively on adjoining wall portions of separable sections of a luggage receptacle or the like adjacent a plane of separation between said separable sections with the latch and keeper portions disposed in a common plane in edge to edge abutment when the separable sections are in closed condition.

10. In a combination lock having a movable member shiftable between latching and release positions, a plurality of rotatable dial assemblies for selectively blocking movement of said movable member to said release position and releasing the same for such movement, each of said dial assemblies respectively comprising axially elongated spindles supported at selected normal axial positions for axial movement along and rotation about parallel spindle axes arranged perpendicular to and spaced along a selected reference axis and annular dial wheel members supported on an intermediate portion of the respective spindles for rotation about the respective spindle axes, said dial wheel members each including an end face perpendicular to said spindle axes and having an indicia bearing periphery concentric with said spindle axes exposed for observation and manipulation from externally J of the lock and having a central bore for accommodating rotary and axial sliding movement of said intermediate portion of the associated spindle relative thereto, the bounding surface of said bore having ten inwardly facing concave notches therein opening through said end face, said spindles having an annular collar formation of larger diameter than said bore disposed to abut said end face at said normal position and an eccentric pin member projecting parallel to the spindle axis into any of said concave notches to intercouple the dial member and spindle in any of a plurality of relative angular positions for corresponding rotation, means continuously biasing said spindles axially in a first direction to said normal position, and said spindles being axially manually movable in a second opposite direction by manual manipulation to Withdraw said pin member from said concave notches for decoupling the same and independent rotation of the dial members to other angular positions to establish a difierent lock combination upon return of the spindles to said normal positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,520,092 12/1924 Shaler 7026 1,606,279 11/1926 Wildrick 70--312 1,782,212 11/1930 Rocker 70304 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

R. L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 7070, 318