US3724246A - Safety lock - Google Patents

Abstract

Herein described is a safety locking device including an aperture extending through a portion of the locking knob which is displaced offset from the rotational center thereof, and which is aligned substantially on a vertical axis. An elongated pin is provided to be inserted in the aperture in the knob and engage a means permanently affixed on the door or door plate to secure at least one end of the pin to prevent arcuate or rotational movement thereof. A second embodiment illustrates a substantially U-shaped member adapted to fit over the inside of an oblong or elongated shaped knob which includes a substantially elongated shaft mounted to the U-shaped member and extends downwardly from the lock to engage the door knob to prevent rotational movement of the knob when the door is locked.

Description

itlttited Sates Patent [191 Katsaros i541 SAFETY LOCK [76] lnventor: James Katsaros, 642 North Plymouth Boulevard, Los Angeles. Calif. 90004 [22] Filed: June 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 151,804

[52] U.S. Cl ..70/431, 70/211 [51] tm. Cl. ..E05b 17/00 [58] Field of Search ..70/211, 212, 429, 416, 447, 70/431; 292/145 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Wolfe Attorney-Victor Sepulveda 1 Apr.3,1973

[57] ABSTRACT Herein described is a safety locking device including an aperture extending through a portion of the locking knob which is displaced offset from the rotational center thereof, and which is aligned substantially on a vertical axis. An elongated pin is provided to be inserted in the aperture in the knob and engage a means permanently affixed on the door or door plate to secure at least one end of the pin to prevent arcuate or rotational movement thereof. A second embodiment illustrates a substantially U-shaped member adapted to fit over the inside of an oblong or elongated shaped knob which includes a substantially elongated shaft mounted to the U-shaped member and extends downwardly from the lock to engage the door knob to prevent rotational movement of the knob when the door is locked.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 9AENTEDAPR3 1973 it 724,246

| INVENTOR.

JAMES KATSAROS ATTORNEY SAFETY LOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention This invention relates to locking devices and more particularly to novel and improved attachments which are attachable to the inside knob of existing locks to prevent the rotational or arcuate movement thereof and the like.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art It is necessary, at times, to secure the locking mechanism of a door by additional means to prevent entry to dwelling houses or other establishments to prevent unauthorized entry thereof. This is especially true when the occupants are within the dwelling and it is desirable to keep outside intruders from entering. On certain occasions, it has been found that pass keys or duplicate keys are available and can be made without too much difficulty by the professional or non-professional intruder, so that entry into homes are easily accessible from the outside. At times it has been found that if a key has been lost, it necessitates the owner to immediately replace the lock to prevent the unauthorized entry. Also, it has been found that an occupant has increased peace of mind while he sleeps if a safety lock can be easily applied to the inside of the home.

Many devices have been made to prevent such entry, but all have been considerably elaborate and still not very beneficial for use on the existing door locking equipment. Some doors are provided with a door knob which does not include the locking arrangement, but

has a key lock positioned substantially above the regular door knob which is operated from an outside key. The door may be opened from the inside by an elongated or oblong type knob which is turned from the inside to unlock the door. Thereafter, the regular door handle can be opened. It is these latter type door knobs which we are most concerned with in this discussion. This is because it has been found that in many cases, these keys are easily duplicated or a pass key is generally available. This is especially true in hotels,

. apartment houses, or other multiple dwellings where a manager is present to operate the establishment. It has been found that many people have access to pass keys, such as janitors and the cleaning personnel and other types of people which are normally employed by the management of the multiple dwelling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes all the disadvantages of the prior art and provides a device which accomplishes all of the above desired features. Briefly described, the present invention includes, in one embodiment, an apparatus for locking a door having an inside knob including an aperture or hole through a portion of said knob. The aperture is placed offset from the rotational center thereof and is aligned substantially on the vertical axis. An elongated pin is provided and adapted to be inserted into the hole or aperture and substantially secured in the position to prevent arcuate rotation thereof. The pin for example, may be enlarged on one end to prevent it from passing completely through the aperture in the knob. The means which prevents rotation of the elongated pin may be in the form of a protruding member afiixed to the door and has an aperture or hole therein, which is aligned with the first mentioned aperture to receive the end of the pin. A chain may be coupled to one end of the pin and the other may be permanently secured to the door or lock plate to prevent a loss thereof.

In a second embodiment of this invention, a safety locking bar is provided which is useful for securing the inside knob of the door lock from rotating. The safety bar includes a substantially U-shaped member adapted to fit over the inside of an elongated or oblong knob. A substantially elongated shaft is attached to the U- shaped member and is of a sufficient length to extend downwardly from the lock to engage the door knob of the door and thus prevent the rotational movement thereof. The first aperture is provided in the door knob, which is offset from the rotational center thereof, and substantially vertically aligned. A second aperture is provided in the U-shaped member through each tine thereof, and is aligned with the aperture in said door and an elongated pin is adapted to be inserted into the aperture in said U-shaped member and the knob which prevents the safety locking bar from accidentally falling ofi the door.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art when taken into consideration with the following detailed description wherein like reference numerals indicate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of a section of door including inside structure of a locking mechanism in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustrating the outside lock and the inside locking arrangement of one embodiment of this inventlon;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating the substantial shape of the lock used in the embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing the securing elements in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a locking bar in accordance with a further embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5 illustrating the locking bar; and

FIG. 7 is a further view of yet still a further embodiment in accordance with the principles of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to a more detailed description of one embodiment of this invention, there is shown in FIG. 1, a door 10 which may include thereon a suitable typical locking mechanism 12 which includes the outside lock plate 14 and an inside plate 16 which is secured to the door 10 by suitable screws 18. In accordance with prior art techniques, a key 20 may be inserted into the lock 12 and turning thereof, causes the door to become unlocked in its well known and conventional manner. These locks 12 also include an inside knob 22 which is used to facilitate unlocking the door from the inside. It should be noted that when the door is unlocked from the outside by turning of the key 20, the knob rotates simultaneously therewith. Thus to insure safety, it becomes the purpose of this invention to prevent rotation of the knob 22 from inside. The inside knob 22 is normally oblong or elongated in the manner shown herein, to facilitate ease in turning of the knob, because it is easily grasped by the hands.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, an aperture or hole 30 is drilled in the knob 22, which is vertically aligned when the knob is in the locked position. The aperture is positioned somewhat offset from the center axis 32 of the knob. An elongated pin or shaft 36 is inserted through the aperture 30 and may include an enlarged portion 38 on the top end to prevent the rod 36 from passing completely through the aperture 30. Means is now provided at the other end of the pin 36 to prevent the rotation thereof. This is shown in the present embodiment as a protruding member firmly affixed to the plate 16, and if desired in the door 10, to prevent rotation of the pin 36 and consequently the knob 22. The means may include a protruding member 42 which has an aperture 40 therein aligned with the aperture 30 in the knob 22, so that the pin 36 may pass through both the aperture 30 and the aperture 40 to provide a locking arrangement thereof. in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and W6. 4, the apertures are in the form of an eye screw 42 which is screwed. through the plate 16 and into the door 10in a suitable manner.

To prevent loss of the pin 36, a suitable chain 44 or the like, has one end fastened to the top portion of pin 36 and the other may be suitablyattached to one of the screws 18 attaching the plate 16 onto the door 10.

A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. and 6. The embodiment shown is one which can be easily attached to the knob 22 to prevent the rotation in the manner heretofore described. Yet, this safety lock is portable and can be easily attached to any door using the locking mechanism heretofore described. Specifically, the locking bar shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, includes a U-shaped member 50 having a pair of extending tines 52 and 54. The U-shaped member is attached to an elongated bar 56, so that the tines 52 and 54 extend normal from the bar. The tines 52 and 54 are of sufficient size so that they fit over the knob 22 and on either side thereof. The bar 56 extends downwardly and is of sufficient length so that one end of the bar 56 will engage the shaft of a suitable door handle 60 in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. When the locking bar is positioned over a locked knob, rotation of the key 20 from the outside is prevented because the end of the bar 56 will bear against the inside of the door handle and impedes rotation thereof. it should be understood that it may depend upon the direction in which the knob 22 rotates to decide which side of the knob 60, the bar 56, shall rest against. It may be desirable to prevent the bar from becoming loosened and falling from the knob accidentally, so a pin 64 is provided "with an enlarged head 68 to fit through a pair of matching apertures 70 and 72 in the tines 52 and 54.

FIG. 7 illustrates that a suitable bar may be inserted to the apertures in the door knob 22 in a manner previously described and be suitable to extend to a position below the knob 60 to prevent rotation thereof.

Thus, there has been shown embodiments of certain locking devices which can be used by the occupant of a dwelling to prevent unauthorized entry from the outside and especially useful to prevent unauthorized entry by the use of pass keys, which may be readily available through multiple dwelling units.

Having thus described but preferred embodiments of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A safety locking bar useful for securing the inside knob of a door lock from rotating including:

a substantially U-shaped member adapted to be fit over the inside of an oblong or elongated shaped knob;

a substantially elongated shaft mounted to said U- shaped member and extending downwardly from said lock to engage the door knob of said door to prevent the rotational movement of said knob of said door lock; and

a first aperture in said knob and being vertically aligned and offset from the rotational center of said knob;

a second aperture in said U-shaped member through each time thereof and being aligned with the aperture in said knob; and

' an elongated pin adapted to be inserted into the apertures in said U-shaped members and said knob.

2. the safety locking bar as defined in claim 1 and further including an enlarged portion on one end of said pin to prevent said pin from passing completely through said apertures.

3. The safety locking bar as defined in claim 2 wherein said U-shaped member including tines extending normal from said elongated shaft and adapted to extend on either side of the locking knob.

Claims (3)

1. A safety locking bar useful for securing the inside knob of a door lock from rotating including: a substantially U-shaped member adapted to be fit over the inside of an oblong or elongated shaped knob; a substantially elongated shaft mounted to said U-shaped member and extending downwardly from said lock to engage the door knob of said door to prevent the rotational movement of said knob of said door lock; and a first aperture in said knob and being vertically aligned and offset from the rotational center of said knob; a second aperture in said U-shaped member thRough each time thereof and being aligned with the aperture in said knob; and an elongated pin adapted to be inserted into the apertures in said U-shaped members and said knob.

2. the safety locking bar as defined in claim 1 and further including an enlarged portion on one end of said pin to prevent said pin from passing completely through said apertures.

3. The safety locking bar as defined in claim 2 wherein said U-shaped member including tines extending normal from said elongated shaft and adapted to extend on either side of the locking knob.

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