US3564877A

US3564877A - Locks

Info

Publication number: US3564877A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jan B Albery
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-09-11
Filing date: 1968-10-25
Publication date: 1971-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-23

Abstract

THE UNBRELLA LOCK HAS A PAIR OF JAWS DEFINING AN OPEN ENDED SLOT, THE JAWS BEING SPACED APART BY A DISTANCE SUCH THAT A PORTION OF AN UMBRELLA ABOVE THE FULL FOLDED THICKNESS OF THE UNBRELLA OF A GENTLEMAN''S STANDARD UMBRELLA CAN PASS THEREBETWEN, BT THE FULL FOLDED THICKNESS IS PREVENTED FROM SO PASSING THROUGH. THE OPEN END OF HE SLOT IS CLOSED BY A FLAP OR THE LIKE WHICH IS PIVOTED TO THE EDGE OF ONE JAW AND ENGAGES THE OTHER JAW. A LOCK IS PROVIDED TO LOCK THE FLAP TO THE SAID OTHER JAW. THE LOCK MAY COMPRISE A BODY HAVING A SLOT FOR RECEIVING A SUITABLE KEY. A TONGUE IS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE BODY AND BIASED TO AN EXTERNAL POSITION WHEREIN A PORTION OF THE TONGUE PROJECTS FROM THE BODY. THE TONGUE HAS A PROJECTING PIN WHICH EXTENDS INTO THE PATH OF THE KEY IN THE SLOT, SO THAT WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED INTO THE SLOT IT ENGAGES THE PIN, AND SO THAT FURTHER DEPRESSION OF THE KEY INTO THE SLOT CAUSES MOVEMENT OF THE PIN AND THS CASES RETRACTION OF THE TONGUE FROM ITS EXTENDED POSITION.

Description

Feb. 23, 1971 B", ALBERY 3,564,877

LOCKS Filed Oct. 25, 1968 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll B. ALBERY Feb. 23, 1971 v LOCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1968 United States Patent US. Cl. 70-59 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The umbrella lock has a pair of jaws defining an open ended slot, the jaws being spaced apart by a distance such that a portion of an umbrella above the full folded thickness of the umbrella of a gentlemans standard umbrella can pass therebetween, but the full folded thickness is prevented from so passing through. The open end of the slot is closed by a flap or the like which is pivoted to the edge of one jaw and engages the other jaw. A look is provided to lock the fiap to the said other jaw. The lock may comprise a body having a slot for receiving a suitable key. A tongue is slid-ably mounted in the body and biased to an external position wherein a portion of the tongue projects from the body. The tongue has a projecting pin which extends into the path of the key in the slot, so that when the key is inserted into the slot it engages the pin, and so that further depression of the key into the slot causes movement of the pin and thus causes retraction of the tongue from its extended position.

This invention relates to locks and to lock devices.

In the entertainment and catering industries particularly there is a need to supply patrons with cloakroom facilities, and often, to avoid theft of articles which have been deposited in such a cloakroom, it is necessary to employ an attendant to supervise the cloakroom. In this case it is usual for the attendant to exchange a ticket for an article, such as a coat, to be deposited, and to return the article when the ticket is produced by the patron.

Such cloakrooms are inconvenient to patrons since they usually have to queue in order to retrieve their belongings and they are often discouraged from using the cloakrooms, preferring instead to keep their coats with them. Proprietors find that such cloakrooms are undesirably expensive to run in that an attendant has to be employed.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a lock and/or locking devices which are suitable for installation in a self service cloakroom of for example theatres, dance halls.

According to the invention a lock comprises a body having a slot for receiving a suitable key, a tongue slidably mounted in the body and biased to an extended position wherein a portion of the tongue projects from the body, the tongue having a projecting pin which extends into the path of the key in the slot so that when the key is inserted into the slot it engages the pin and so that further depression of the key into the slot causes movement of the pin and thus causes retraction of the tongue from its extended position.

A lock as thus defined will hereinafter be referred to as a spade lock. Such a spade lock is very suitable for use in cloakrooms in that it may be simply constructed and hence cheap to manufacture, and is easily and quickly operated in that mere depression of the key in the slot releases the lock. Such a key lock may for example be applied to the umbrella locks or clothing locks which form other features of this invention.

An umbrella lock according to the invention comprises a pair of jaws defining an open end slot the jaws being 3,564,877 Patented Feb. 23, 1971 spaced apart by a distance such that a portion of an umbrella above the full folded thickness of the material of a gentlemans standard umbrella can pass therebetween but the full folded thickness is prevented from passing through, the open end of the slot being closed by a flap or the like which is pivoted to the edge of one jaw and engages the other jaw, a lock being provided to lock the flap to the said other jaw. The flap of the umbrella lock is preferably locked by means of the spade lock of the invention.

The dimensions of the slot when closed by the flap may be such that the crooked or curved portion of the umbrella handle may not be drawn through the slot and in this case the flap may be constructed so that it may be locked in an adjustiable position so that the length of the slot may be vane In order further to restrain the umbrella from being turned to try to pass the handle through the closed slot, the umbrella lock may be installed in combination with restraining means through which a lower portion of the umbrella is passed the umbrella lock being mounted on a fixed surf-ace and the restraining means being mounted a distance below the umbrella lock to restrain the movement of the lower part of the umbrella in position in the lock so that the crooked or curved portion of the umbrella handle may not be drawn through the closed slot of the umbrella lock.

The umbrella lock may also be installed at a distance above a horizontal surface not exceeding 30 inches from the surface to the lower end of the slot.

According to the invention a lock device for clothing comprises in combination a support for the clothing (preferably a coathanger) a bond one end of which is intended to be secured to a fixed surface, and means for locking the other end of the bond to a fixed surface.

To make use of the lock device a patron hangs his coat for example, on the clothing support passes the bond through a convenient hole for example a sleeve of the coat and locks the free end of the bond to the fixed surface with the locking means.

Thus a cloakroom having installed in it locks and/or lock devices according to the invention is of benefit to both the patrons and the proprietor; the patrons are provided with a more convenient service, the proprietor does not need to employ a cloakroom attendant.

The locking means of the device is preferably an umbrella lock.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a spade lock according to the invention, with its rear cover plate removed;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the spade lock of FIG. 1 with its front cover plate removed;

F 1516. 3 is a view of the catch plate of the spade lock of FIG. 4 is a perspective detail of a part of the spade lock of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a spade-key suitable for use with the spade lock of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an umbrella lock according to the invention which incorporates the spade lock of FIG 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one installation of the umbrella lock of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a clothing lock according to the invention, which incorporates the umbrella lock of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing installation details of the clothing lock of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the body 2 of the spade lock has two

slots

4 and 6 in which are slidably mounted two tongues 8 and respectively (see FIG. 1). The tongues 8 and 10 (illustrated in FIG. 4) are biased to an extended position by springs 12 wherein a portion 14 of each tongue extends from the body of the lock.

The tongues 8 and 10 cooperate with a strike plate 16 as is hereinafter described and explained.

The body 2 of the lock also has a key slot 18 into which a suitable flat key 20 may be inserted (see FIGS. 2 and 6). Two

slots

22 and 24 connect the key slot 18 with the

tongue slots

4 and 6 respectively. Each of the tongues 8 and 10 has a pin 26 which projects through the

respective slot

22 and 24 into the path of the key 20 in the key slot 18. As the body is closed, a cam surface 28 of the projecting portion 14 of each of the tongues 8 and 10 engages the catch plate 16, further movement towards the closed position of the body causes the tongue to be urged into a retracted position against the bias of the springs 12. When the body is fully closed the tongue 10 is urged by its bias-spring 12 into a slot 30 in the catch plate 16. The tongue 8 remains in its retracted position. The spade lock is now closed and locked.

To open the spade lock, key 20 is inserted into the key slot 18. As the key is inserted it passes pin 26 of the tongue 8, which is retracted (see FIG. 2 in which two positions of the key are shown in chain-dotted outline), a cam surface 32 of the key then engages the pin 26 of the tongue 10. Further depression of the key in slot 18 causes the pin 26 to move to the right as seen in FIG. 2 thus retracting the tongue 10 from its extended position. When the tongue 10 has retracted sufiiciently so that it is no longer engaged in slot 30 of the catch plate the body opens under the biasing action of a spring 34.

The key 20 is prevented from further depression in the key slot 18 by a stop 36. When the bottom of the key is engaged against the stop 36 a notch 38 of the key is in line with the pin 26 of the tongue 8. The tongue 8 is free to move under the action of its bias spring 12 since it no longer engages the catch plate 16. The tongue 8 thus moves to its extended position and its pin 26 engages in notch 38 of the key preventing the key from being removed. Removal of the key is enabled when the body is closed because the tongue 8 is then in its retracted position.

Pins

40, 42 and 44 project into the path of the key in the key slot 18 so that unless the key has a correspond ing arrangement of

slots

46, 48 and 50, respectively, it may not be inserted sufiiciently far into the key slot 18 to cause retracting of the tongue 10.

A front coverplate 52 and a rear coverplate (not shown) are secured by rivets 54 over the

slot

4, 6 and 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7 it will be seen that the spade lock may very suitably be incorporated in an umbrella lock which is another feature of the invention.

The umbrella lock hereinbefore described may conveniently be used in conjunction with the clothing lock which forms another feature of the invention.

The umbrella lock comprises a body having a pair of

jaws

62 and 64 defining an open ended slot 66. The jaws are spaced apart by a distance such that a portion of an umbrella above the full folded thickness of the material of the gentlemans standard umbrella can pass between the jaws. The body 60 is provided with screws for securing it to a fixed bar 72.

A flap which comprises the body of the spade lock is pivotally hinged by hinge pin 74 to the jaw 62 so that the flap may be shut to close the open end of the slot 66. The strike plate 16 is mounted on the jaw 64. The slot 66 is also so dimensioned so that when the flap is in its closed position the full folded thickness of the material of the umbrella may not be drawn through. A gentlemans standard umbrella can have differing amounts of material but in general the minimum distance around the periphery of the folded material is not less than about 3 /2 inches at its full thickness and is normally about 4" to 4 /2". The

maximum thickness is not important provided that a position above the material will pass between its jaws.

The dimensions of the slot 66 when the flap is closed may be chosen so that the curved or crooked portion of the handle of a gentlemans standard umbrella may not pass through. A ladys umbrella often has a loop which may be looped round one of the jaws of the umbrella lock before the flap is locked.

There may be, however, a large variation in the shape and dimensions of the crooked or curved portion of the handle of a gentlemans standard umbrella which may make it difficult to chose suitable dimensions for the close slot 66 in order to prevent withdrawal of the curved or crooked portion of the handle of the umbrella through the slot. This difi lculty is overcome by the installation illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the umbrella lock is mounted on a fixed surface such as bar 72 and restraining means 76 is fixedly mounted at a distance below the umbrella lock. The dimensions of the restraining means and its spacing from the umbrella lock is chosen so that the movement of the umbrella is sufficiently limited to prevent the curved or crooked portion of the umbrella from being drawn through the slot 66 when it closed by the flap.

The above mentioned difficulty may also be overcome by providing the slot 66 with a stiffly resilient lining or by providing catch plate 16 with a plurality of slots notches such as slot 30, so that the fiap may be closed to various locked positions to admit different umbrellas.

The above mentioned difficulty may further be overcome by installing the lock at a distance above a fixed horizontal surface, a floor for example, so that the lower end of the slot 66 is not more than 30 inches above the surface. The gentlemans standard umbrella may not then be lowered suificiently with respect to the umbrella lock to bring the crooked or curved portion of the handle into such a position that it may be drawn through the slot.

It will be appreciated that the umbrella lock is equally suitable for a ladys umbrella and that any of the arrangements herein described is preferably dimensioned and arranged so that it may be used to lock both gentlemens and ladies umbrellas.

As may be seen from FIGS. 8 and 9 the clothing lock of this embodiment comprises a support for the clothing in the form of a coathanger 82, having a closed loop 84 at its centre, to which is attached a bond in the form of a chain 86. The chain 86 has means for locking its lower end to a fixed surface comprising a ring 88 which is attached to the lower end of the chain, and an umbrella lock 90 (as herein described). As may be seen from FIG. 8 the lock device is installed by passing the neck portion 92 of the coathanger through a hole 94 in a fixed bar 96 and retaining the neck in the hole with a hinge pin 98 in a suitable hole in the neck of the coathanger, and by securing the umbrella lock to a second fixed bar 72. The neck portion 92 of the coathanger is preferably a loose fit in the hole 94 so that the coathanger may be easily pivoted about the hinge pin 98.

To make use of the clothing lock a patron hangs his coat on the coathanger 82, passes the chain 86 downwards through a sleeve of the coat, passes the chain 86 between the

jaws

62 and 64 of the umbrella lock, places his umbrella (if he has one) so that a portion above the full folded width is between the jaws, closes the flap or spade-lock body 2 and removes the key 20. The ring 88 8 may not be drawn through the slot 24 and thus his coat is secured against removal.

The umbrella lock 8 is conveniently mounted directly beneath the end of one of the arms of the coathanger 82 so that it is directly beneath the sleeve of a coat which is hung on the coathanger.

The clothing lock may have embodiments other than that described above, for example:

The support may be a coat hook or any other similar support means which is to be screwed or otherwise fastened to a wall or fixed rail or bar.

The bond may be made of plastics material which may have for example a steel core.

The point of attachment of the fixed end of the bond may be varied, in the case of a coathanger it may be attached to the end of one of the arms, in the case of a coat hook it may be attached to the hook or to a conveniently placed fixture which is separate from the hook.

The lock device may be used for other items of clothing besides coats, for example pullovers, cardigans, trousers, dresses, undercloths, etc. Thus for example at a swimming pool or sports centre most of a patrons clothing could be locked by using the device.

FIG. 9 illustrates typical installation details whereby a number of clothing locks may be installed in a cloakroom.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments of my invention which I have specifically described, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. An umbrella lock comprising: a pair of jaws defining a slot having an open end, the jaws being spaced apart by a distance such that a portion of an umbrella above the full folded thickness of a gentlemans standard umbrella can pass therebetween but the full folded thickness is prevented from passing through; a flap pivoted to one jaw for engagement with the other so as to close the open end of the slot; a lock mounted on the flap and having a body in which is defined a slot for receiving a suitable key, a tongue slidably mounted in the body transversely to the key slot and biased to an extended position wherein a portion of the tongue projects belond the flap, a pin projecting from the tongue and extending into the path of the key in the slot so that when the key is inserted into the key slot it engages the pin and so that further depression of the key causes retraction of the tongue from its extended position; a slot being formed in the said other jaw for engagement with the tongue when in its extended position so as to lock the flap across the open end of the slot.

2. An umbrella lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot, when closed by the flap, is so dimensioned that the crooked portion of the handle of a standard gentlemans umbrella may not be drawn through the slot.

3. An umbrella lock as claimed in claim 1 in which the flap may be locked in an adjustable position so that the length of the slot can be varied.

4. An umbrella lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lock has means for preventing the removal of the key from the lock when the flap is in its open position.

5. An umbrella lock as claimed in claim 1 when installed with restraining means through which in use a lower portion of the umbrella is passed, the umbrella lock being mounted on a fixed surface and the restraining means being mounted a distance below the umbrella lock to restrain the movement of the lower part of the umbrella in position in the look so that the crooked portion of the umbrella handle may not be drawn through the closed slot of the umbrella lock.

6. An umbrella lock as claimed in claim 1 when installed at a distance above a horizontal surface not exceeding 30 inches from the surface to the lower end of the slot.

7. A combination with a lock device as set forth in claim 1, a coat hanger secured against removal; a flexible chain one end of which is secured in fixed relation to the coat hanger; and means fixedly secured to the other end of the flexible chain, which means is so dimensioned as to be too large to pass through the slot of the umbrella look when closed by the flap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 51,524 12/1865 Trimble 59 524,923 8/1894 Whitfield 70--59 739,180 9/1903 H011 7059 799,565 9/1905 Hilbig 7059X 913,188 2/1909 Backus 7059X 949,809 2/1910 Sheen 7059X 1,806,660 5/1931 Backus 7062 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 211-4