US3613415A - Holding device for lock cylinders - Google Patents

Abstract

A DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE ACCIDENTAL OR MALICIOUS LOCKING OF A PLUNGER TYPE LOCK CYLINDER OF A DEVICE SUCH AS FILING CABINET INCLUDES A MEMBER WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED AROUND AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LOCK CYLINDER WHEN THE LOCK CYLINDER IS IN AN EXTENDED OPEN POSITION AND HOLD IT IN THIS POSITION AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF IT BEING CLOSED. THE DEVICE INCLUDES A SLEEVE MEMBER WHICH MAY BE MADE OF A RIGID MATERIAL SUCH AS METAL OR OF A RESILIENT OR SEMI-RESILIENT MATERIAL SUCH AS PLASTIC OR RUBBER AND IT INCLUDES MEANS FOR ANCHORING IT IN POSITION AROUND AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LOCK CYLINDER SO AS TO ENGAGE THE CYLINDER AND PREVENT IT FROM BEING MOVED BACKWARDLY INTO THE ACCOMMODATING RECESS THEREFOR ON A FILING CABINET. THE DEVICE INCLUDES MEANS FOR CLAMPING IT IN POSITION WHICH IN ONE FORM OF THE INVENTION COMPRISES A ROTATABLE SCREW WHICH MAY BE MOVED BY EITHER A SCREW DRIVER OR A UNIQUE TOOL TO PERMIT ITS FASTENING OR RELEASE FROM THE ASSOCIATED LOCK CYLINDER.

Description

v Oct. 19, 1971 M $|NGER 3,613,415

HOLDING DEVICE FOR LOCK CYLINDERS Filed March 17, 1970 FIGD FIGcS INVENTOR5 M Z0NARD SINGER BY R056?! M. W015 72 XUTORNE Y5 United States Patent "ice 3,613,415 HOLDING DEVICE FOR LOCK CYLINDERS M. Leonard Singer, 1500 Cardinal Drive, Little Falls,

NJ. 07424, and Robert M. Woletz, 789 Main St.,

Hackensack, NJ. 07601 Filed Mar. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 20,292 Int. Cl. E05b 15/00 US. Cl. 70-447 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for preventing the accidental or malicious locking of a plunger type lock cylinder of a device such as filing cabinet includes a member which is adapted to be engaged around at least a portion of the lock cylinder when the lock cylinder is in an extended open position and hold it in this position against the possibility of it being closed. The device includes a sleeve member which may be made of a rigid material such as metal or of a resilient or semi-resilient material such as plastic or rubber and it includes means for anchoring it in position around at least a portion of the lock cylinder so as to engage the cylinder and prevent it from being moved backwardly into the accommodating recess therefor on a filing cabinet. The device includes means for clamping it in position which in one form of the invention comprises a rotatable screw which may be moved by either a screw driver or a unique tool to permit its fastening or release from the associated lock cylinder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to safety devices and in particular to a new and useful safety device particularly for holding a lock cylinder of a filing cabinet in an open position and which comprises a sleeve member which is adapted to be clamped against the lock cylinder and hold it against withdrawal into the cabinet recess.

The present invention provides a new and unusual device for preventing the accidental inward movement of a lock cylinder of a filing cabinet into a locked position, and in its simplest form includes a sleeve member which is adapted to be engaged around the cylinder of the associated filing cabinet or similar device and to hold the lock thereon in an extended position so it cannot be pushed backwardly into the recess of the associated device and thus lock the device against opening. The device is particularly useful for filing cabinets in order to prevent the accidental or malicious locking of the individual drawers of the cabinet during periods in which the drawers are to be used and at a time, for example, when the key to open the cabinet may not be easily accessible.

In accordance with the invention, the safety device comprises a collar or sleeve member which may be made of a rigid, semi-rigid or elastic material which may be fitted over the look cylinder to be held in an open position. The sleeve includes a means for clamping it into position in relation to the extended lock cylinder in order to provide a projection thereon which prevents the cylinder from being moved backwardly into the accommodating recess of the associated article so that the article cannot be locked. The device is provided particularly for use in respect to a filing cabinet, and, in its preferred form, it comprises a metallic sleeve having a bore therethrough of the configuration of the lock cylinder with which it is to be employed. In most instances, the locking cylinder of a filing cabinet is of an oval configuration and thus the bore of a collar or sleeve is so formed. The construction includes a top surface which is notched in order to provide a centering for a thread-bore which extends downwardly into the screw-bore of this collar and pro- 3,613,415 Patented Get. 19, 1971 vides an accommodation for a set screw which may be threaded into the thread-bore for a purpose of securing the collar or sleeve to the associated looking cylinder. In one form of the invention the set screw may be provided with a head which may be turned by ordinary tools such as coin, nail-file or screw-driver so that all personnel of an office have an easily available means for fastening and unfastening the device. Alternatively, the head may be provided with a special receiving groove or recess which will accommodate only a special type tool to permit its fastening or unfastening by only selected personnel who have such tool. Alternatively, the collar may include easily operated clamping means which may provide some frictional engagement of the collar with the locking cylinder and which may be in a form, for example, of a resilient element which is compressed by either the rotation of a set screw or by the depressing of a plunger to tightly engage against the associated locking cylinder. And still in another form which is envisioned by the invention the sleeve itself may be of a material such as rubber so that it resiliently and tightly engages the lock cylinder in any position in which it is applied.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a device in the form of a collar or sleeve which is adapted to fit over a locking cylinder and tightly engage the locking cylinder and project from the surface thereof to hold the cylinder against withdrawal or movement into a recess for locking in the device with which it is associated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking device for a locking cylinder of a filing cabinet which includes a metal sleeve which is adapted to be fitted over the cylinder and which includes means for clamping it in position around the cylinder so that the sleeve provides a projection which prevents the locking cylinder from being withdrawn into the cabinet recess to lock the cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which provides means for holding a locking cylinder in a selected orientation and which advantageously includes means for positioning and holding a key in a selected position, such as in an unlocked position so that it cannot be turned, and which includes a clamping member in a form of a set-screw or similar arrangement which may be firmly engaged with the associated lock cylinder either by a common and easily available tool or an unique tool so that the device has a limited access for removability.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking device for the lock of a filing cabinet which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a locking collar for a plunger type cylinder of a filing cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial top perspective view of a portion of a filing cabinet having a locking cylinder with the safety device thereon constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, in particular, the invention embodied therein, as indicated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, comprises a safety device or locking collar generally designated 10 which, in this embodiment, comprises a sleeve or annular member 12 made of a material, for example, such as light metal or plastic material and which is provided with an oval shaped bore 14 therethrough for accommodating a locking cylinder 16 of a similar configuration which is employed on most filing cabinets 18. As usual, in the operation of filing cabinets the drawers of the cabinet will be openable only if the locking cylinder 16 is in an extended position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In many instances, however, the cylinder 16 is pushed by inadvertence or by malice so that it is moved into an accommodating recess of the filing cabinet 18 and thus locks the cabinet so that the drawers 20 cannot be opened. The safety device 10 of the invention may be made of a resilient material such as a plastic or a rubber which permits it by its very nature to become clamped to the locking cylinder 16, or, as in the embodiment illustrated, it includes clamping means generally designated 22 which may be operated to cause the tight engagement of the safety device 10 with the associated cylinder 16.

In the embodiment illustrated the clamping means 22 includes a set-screw 24 which is threaded into a threaded bore or cross bore 26 formed in a fiat top wall 28 of the collar 12. In order to facilitate the tapping of the threaded bore the top wall 28 is provided with a V-shaped notch 30 which extends across the thickness of the collar 12. The set screw in the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 includes a head 32 having intersecting grooves 34 of a size to accommodate a readily available tool in a form of a coin, screw-driver, nail-file, etc. Two intersecting grooves 34, 34 are provided in order to make it very easy to engage the head at 32 to rotate the set-screw 24 to cause it to clamp against the cylinder 16 or to loosen it from the cylinder 16 so that the collar 12 may be either applied or removed as desired.

In some instances it is desirable that a safety device 10 of a type indicated in FIG. 4 be provided which comprises a cylinder or oval-shaped tubular member 36 which is adapted to engage over a locking cylinder 16. The member 36 has an end wall 36a which prevents access to the end of the locking cylinder 16 and in some instances it is desirable that this end wall be provided with an opening 36b to accommodate a key (not shown) which may be oriented in the locking cylinder 16 in a predetermined manner. Thus it would permit access of a key into the opening 36b and through an associated receiving opening of the cylinder 16 (not shown) only in an unlocked orientation. This provides means for holding the key in place but since it is not able to turn the key cannot be used to lock the device until the member 36 is removed from the plunger 16.

In the embodiment indicated in FIG. 5, there is provided a safety device generally designated 10 which includes a collar 40 having a bore 42 which is obliquely formed in order that the set-screw 44 which is threaded therein may be arranged at an angle so that its head 46 4 extends outwardly away from the associated filing cabinet 18 and is easily accessible.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 an anchoring device 10" advantageously includes cylindrical bore 50 to accommodate a lock cylinder 52 of cylindrical configuration. In other respects the device 10" is similar to FIG. 1.

In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a safety device generally designated 10" includes an oval bore 54 which is provided with an annular recess to accommodate an internal resilient collar member 56. The collar member 56 includes a fiat top wall 58 which is disposed in a recess aligned with the bore 60 for a set-screw 62. When the set-screw 62 is tightened it bears against the top-wall 58 of the collar member 56 to cause it to bend into the configuration indicated in FIG. 8 and this bending provides a firm engagement of the collar member 56 due to the reduction of the size of its central opening within the bore 54 so that the whole assembly tightly engages with the associated plunger 16.

The device of the invention may thus be manufactured or constructed such that it may be easily applied. For example, in the embodiment of device 10 in the form of an elastic sleeve it may be fitted directly over the locking cylinder and provide a projecting surface therefrom, or it may be made rigid and relatively tamper-proof in the form of a metal collar having a set-screw clamping means which may be easily applied or removed merely by inserting a tool such as a coin to affect the tightening or loosening of the set-screw as desired. On the other hand, in those instances when a special tamper-proof construction is desired then a device such as cylinder 10' of FIG. 4 is provided which includes a set-screw 24 having a head 28 with a squared recess 64, for example, which may be engaged only by a special tool (not shown) designed to engage in the recess 64 to permit the turning of the set-screw. The device may be used also to signal whether the cabinet is opened or closed, and for this purpose the walls of the collar 12 may be extended or designed as a holder for a card or other flagging device if necessary. The collar itself may be threaded to provide a threaded installation of the collar in respect to a locking cylinder which then may also be threaded. The collar may be formed with suitable projections or of a suitable configuration such that it functions as a knob or handle for the associated cylinder with which it is engaged.

In FIG. 9, a resilient collar member is provided which is in the form of a rubber tube which is applied over the cylinder 16 when it is in a wound-up state, as indicated in dotted lines 70. A thickened end 72 is oriented at the inner end of the lock cylinder 16 after it is unwound and it provides a projection which prevents the withdrawal of the associated cylinder 16. In this embodiment the nature of the material, for example, a resilient rubber material provides the necessary clamping means for holding the collar member 70 in position.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety device for holding a locking cylinder for a device such as a filing cabinet in an open position comprising a collar member adapted to be engaged around the associated locking cylinder, and means associated with said collar member for clamping said member in position on said locking cylinder and so that collar member projects outwardly from said cylinder and prevents the withdrawal thereof into a locked position.

2. A safety device, according to claim 1, wherein said collar member comprises a rigid metallic sleeve having a through bore therethrough to accommodate the locking cylinder, said clamping means comprising a set-screw threaded into said sleeve at an angle to intersect said through bore and being rotatable for clamping and releasing said collar member from the locking cylinder.

3. A safety device, according to claim 2, wherein said sleeve includes a top wall, said top wall having a threaded cross bore for accommodating said setscrew.

4. A safety device, according to claim 3, wherein said threaded cross bore extends obliquely so that said setscrew extends outwardly in respect to the associated device with which said safety device is employed.

5. A safety device, according to claim 1, wherein said collar member includes a closed front wall for enclosing at least a portion of the locking cylinder with which it is to be used.

6. A safety device, according to claim 5, including an opening in said front wall for orienting a key in a particular orientation in respect to the locking cylinder.

7. A safety device, according to claim 1, wherein said collar member includes an oval through bore.

8. A safety device, according to claim 1, wherein said collar member includes a cylindrical through bore.

9. A safety device, according to claim 1, wherein said collar member includes an outer sleeve having an internal Wall with an annular recess, a resilient member disposed in said recess and being flexible to tightly engage the 6 locking cylinder, said clamping means including a setscrew engageable With said resilient member to move resilient member to clamp it against the locking cylinder. 10. A safety device, according to claim 1, wherein said collar member comprises a resilient sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,129,570 2/ 1915 Horton 70-207 1,169,557 1/1916 Moore 70-237 2,327,990 8/1943 Benson 28758 2,584,015 1/1952 HaWes 248-354 2,752,440 6/1956 Robbins 200-44 ROBERT L. WOLFE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Images