US3820283A

US3820283A - Locking system and lock therefor

Info

Publication number: US3820283A
Application number: US00289313A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Acerra; P Manley; J Shramovich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-09-14
Filing date: 1972-09-14
Publication date: 1974-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-28

Abstract

A locking system is provided for locking sliding doors of railroad cars. An aperture is drilled in the car and a portion of a removable, portable lock is inserted into the aperture. A key operated means in the lock may be operated by a key to shift bolt elements into locking position to prevent removal of the lock from the aperture. A protective cap may be placed over the inner end of the lock if the bolt elements are exposed. When the lock is secured to the car, the lock itself or a stop fastened thereto projects into the path of movement for the car door or otherwise prevents the car door from being slid open.

Description

United States Patent [191 Acerra et al.

[ June 28, 1974 1 LOCKING SYSTEM AND LOCK THEREFOR [22] Filed: Sept. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 289,313

[52] US. Cl 49/449, 70/14, 70/34, 70/95 [51] Int. Cl E05b 65/14, E05b 67/36 [58] Field of Search 70/14, 34, 90, 95, 169, 70/229, 230, 231, 232, 259, 371; 292/288,

DIG. 32, DIG. 46; 49/449, 450

3,600,912 3/1971 Foreman 70/77 3,732,709 5/1973 Kneebone 70/90 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 449,281 6/1949 Italy 70/34 1,085,107 l/l955 France 70/14 Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fitch, Ever, Tabin & Luedeka [5 7] ABSTRACT A locking system is provided for locking sliding doors of railroad cars. An aperture is drilled in the car and a portion of a removable, portable lock is inserted into the aperture. A key operated means in the lock may be operated by a key to shift bolt elements into locking position to prevent removal of the lock from the aperture. A protective cap may be placed over the inner end of the lock if the bolt elements are exposed. When the lock is secured to the car, the lock itself or a stop fastened thereto projects into the path of movement for the car door or otherwise prevents the car door from being slid open.

10 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures vmmnzmum M4 3820 283 sum 3 or 3 LOCKING SYSTEM AND LOCK THEREFOR This invention relates to a system for locking a movable door such as, for example, a sliding door of a railroad car, and to a removable lock for use in such a system.

The railroad industry is plagued with pilferage, darnage and vandalism caused by persons breaking into railroad cars. For many years, railroad cars have been manufactured without any locks or locking systems thereon. As a result, millions of railroad cars are in use which lack a good locking system to protect goods within the cars from thieves or vandals. High tensile strength wires or bands are sometimes used to tie the door to the car body, but such bands are readily cut or broken with wire cutters, spikes, bars or other objects which are easily found in or about railroad yards. Common padlocks or the like may also be used, but they are easily pried open or hammered apart with the spikes, bars or channels.

While some expensive locking systems have been proposed, these have been rejected by the railroad companies as too costly in usually requiring an expensive lock or an expensive modification of the railroad car. Because there are millions of railroad cars to be provided with such a system, the total cost of the system including locks, any modifications to the railroad cars, and time needed to modify the railroad cars must be kept low or it will not be acceptable to the owners of the railroad cars. Additionally, complicating the acceptance of any one locking system is that the company may own or use railroad cars made by various railroad car manufacturers, each having a different door and track on which the door slides. Therefore, the locking system should preferably be a universal one usable for a plurality of railroad car manufactures.

Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide an improved locking system for locking doors such as those of a railroad car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable lock for use in such a locking system.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary view of a railroad car having a slidable door locked with the locking system of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken substantially along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the locking system used with a car of a different manufacture than that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, longitudinal, sectional view taken through the lock of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of an inner end of the lock shown in FIG. 5 with a cap for telescoping thereon;

FIG. 7 illustrates bolt elements moved to an inner position from the outer position shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 illustrates bolt elements and actuator means constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a still further embodiment of bolt elements and actuator means therefor;

FIG. 10 illustrates the lock system with a refrigerator car and door latch and constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates a spacer used with the lock and locking system of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 illustrates a cross section of a protective cap constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in a railroad car or car body 11 having a slidable door 12 mounted for sliding on a track means comprising an upper longitudinally extending track 14 and a lower longitudinally extending track 15. The car 11 illustrated in FIG. 1 also is provided with a lower rail 17 about which are hooked two depending hooks 19, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The door is shown in its closed position in which a leading vertical edge thereof abuts a front jamb 23 on the car door in a familiar and conventional manner. When the door is slid on the track means to its open position (not shown), i.e., to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, the door 12 uncovers an opening in the car 11 allowing access to the interior of the car.

In accordance with the present invention, railroad cars may be provided with a locking system which requires a minimum modification of the car, for example, merely drilling one or more apertures 24 in the car while it is in the field to receive a removable, portable lock 25 which when locked to the car body 11 stops sliding of the door 12 to its open position. The lock 25 comprises a lock body 27 having a portion 29, as best seen in FIG. 4, which is insertable through the aperture 24 with this interior portion 29 of the lock having means connected thereto to prevent pulling of the lock and thereby its removal from the aperture 24. More specifically, movable bolts or bolt elements 33 on the inner end 31 of the interior portion 29 may swing outwardly to prevent pulling of the latter from the aperture 24. Preferably, the bolt elements 33 are shifted between their outer or locking position and an inward position within the interior portion 29 by means including a lock cylinder 35 having a tumbler S9. The lock cylinder is adapted to be turned by a key 39. Thus, it will be seen that the railroad car may be provided with a locking system upon drilling an aperture 24 in the car, inserting the interior portion 29 of the lock body 27 into the aperture, and turning the key 39 to turn the locking cylinder 35 thereby shifting the movable bolt elements 33 outwardly into the locking position preventing withdrawal of the lock body 27 from the aperture 24.

In accordance with the present invention, the locking system may be readily adapted to various types of railroad cars such as the Youngstown Steel Door Company railroad car 11 shown in FIG. 1 which need be modified only by drilling the aperture 24 in the rail 17 adjacent one of the hooks 19. Then, when it is desired to lock the car, a lock 25 may be taken by a workman and inserted through the aperture 24 and locked to the rail 17 with an exterior or head portion 41 of the lock being positioned adjacent the hook 19 for abutment by the door upon attempting to slide the door open. In a further type of railroad car 11a, Superior Car Door Company, a car door 12a (FIG. 3) lacks the depending hooks l9 and rides on a different type of track 15 than that of the Youngstown Steel Door Company railroad car 12; and it is preferred to secure a stop 43 to the lower track 15a of this car 11a with a lock 25a to block sliding of the door to its open position. The stop 43 has a portion 44 thereof extending across the top of the track a for blocking relationship with the car door 12a.

As will be explained in greater detail in connection with FIG. 10, refrigerator cars 11b have hermetically sealed car doors 12b and it is particularly desirable to prevent the unlocking of the door 12b as would break the hermetic seal between the door and the car body. In this instance, the apertures to receive the lock 25b are formed in handle 45 and in a bracket 46, and the apertures are aligned to receive this lock 25b which thereby locks the handle 45 against movement which would unlock the door 12b. Moreover, it is contemplated in the present invention, as best seen in FIG. 1, that when the leading end 21 of the car door 12 and the jamb 23 of the car body have overlapping portions that the apertures (not shown) may be drilled through the overlapped portions and the lock 25 secured to the car at aligned apertures to prevent sliding of the door to its open position until the lock 25 is removed.

When the movable bolt elements 33 are exposed for possible tampering as onthe reverse side of the rail 17, it is preferred to cover the bolt elements 33 with a protective cap 47 which is secured to the inner end 31 of the lock body 27 so that the bolt elements 33 cannot be broken off by turning with a wrench with a high torque as might be the case if the protective cap 47 were not freely turnable.

As will be explained in greater detail, the preferred lock body 27 is constructed with an exterior portion 41 of a size considerably larger than the diameter of the apertures 24 so that the lock body may not be driven through the aperture by hitting it with a hammer or the like. Likewise, the preferred lock body 27 is sufficiently strong that it cannot be readily broken by being pounded or hammered or by being slammed by the car door 12. The lock body, however, should be positioned close to the door to prevent the door from hitting with any large inertia force. Preferably, the locking cylinder 35 is located at an inner recessed position leaving an empty chamber or bore 49 through which one must, with considerably difficulty, insert elements to try to pick the lock or to grasp the cylinder 35 with a wrench so as exert a torque thereon to break the cylinder.

Also, as will be explained in greater detail, the illustrated lock 25 is formed of relatively few and inexpensive components making the lock marketable at a commercially acceptable price for railroad companies. The simple drilling of one ormore apertures 24 in the car body can be readily accomplished in the field with simple drills in a short time. Hence, the locking system does not require any major or time-consuming modifications of existing railroad cars. As the apertures 24 may be drilled at various locations in the respectively different types of cars of various manufacturers, the same locking system may be adopted as a general or universal locking system for various kinds of railroad cars. Moreover, as the lock 25 is removable and portable, a lock need not be inventoried or attached to every car because the locks can be added to the cars only when they are desired to be locked.

Referring now in greater detail to the individual elements of the locking system and in particular to the lock 25, the lock body 27 is preferably made in one piece from a strong material which will not readily rust and thereby cause difliculties in unlocking the lock.

The illustrated lock body 27 has its outer exterior portion 41 of generally cylindrical shape, although other shapes may be used. The exterior portion 41 extends longitudinally to a radially extending annular shoulder wall 51 joining it to the smaller diameter interior portion 29 of the lock body 27. By way of example only, the outer diameter for the exterior portion 41 is about 1.5 inches, while the inner portion has an outer diameter of about 1 inch. The length of the exterior portion is about 1 inch from outer annular wall 53 of the exterior portion to the shoulder 51 with a total overall length of about 2.3 inches. The size and dimensions may be varied to provide additional or less strength for the lock and still fall within the purview of the invention.

The lock body 27 is provided with a bore 49, as best seen in FIG. 4, which extends the length thereof and which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the lock 25. In the central portion of the bore 49, a reduced diameter section 57 is provided with slots therein for cooperating with and receiving tumbler pins 59 on the lock cylinder 35. The illustrated lock cylinder 35 is preferably a commercially available locking cylinder which can be purchased in large quantities and at a relatively low cost along with the keys 38 therefor. While special locking cylinders or plugs 35 may be substituted for the illustrated and described cylinder 35, these add considerably to the cost of the lock. The illustrated locking cylinder 35 is formed with a circular collar 61 sized and fitted to the diameter of the bore 49, receiving the same, which in this instance is inch in diameter. A central reduced diameter portion 63, as best seen in FIG. 4, of the locking cylinder 35 carries tumblers 59 for cooperation with slots in reduced diameter central portion 57 in the bore 49 in the lock body 27. The illustrated cylinder 35 has a further reduced diameter for its inner end 37 which joins the tumbler carrying portion 63 at an annular shoulder 66. A washer 65 is abutted against the shoulder 66 and held by a nut 67 threaded on an external thread formed on the cylinder end 37. The washer 65 projects outwardly of cylinder end 37 to abut the reduced diameter section 57 of lock body 27 and it and the nut 67 thereby hold the lock cylinder 35 against being pulled axially from the bore 49. It will be appreciated that various types of lock cylinders 35 and keys 39 may be used other than that illustrated for operation of the movable bolt elements 33.

For the purpose of shifting the movable bolt elements 33 between an outer or locked position, shown in FIG. 5, and an inner or unlocked position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, an actuator means 69 connects the cylinders 35 to the movable bolt elements 33 to shift the same between their respective inner and outer positions. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4-7, the actuator means 69 comprises a pair of pins 71 fastened to an end wall of the inner portion 37 of the locking cylinder 35 and projecting longitudinally in the bore 49 of the lock body 27. The pins 71 are located at positions radially offset from the longitudinal axis of the lock cylinder 35 and the bore 49. Each of the pins 71 projects through an opening in the inner end 73 of one of the bolt elements 33. The pins 71 function as a crank-like actuating means for converting the rotary turning of the lock cylinder 35 into a linear displacement of the bolt elements 33.

Herein, the illustrated bolt elements 33 are formed with outer sector-shaped sections 75 having an outer arcuate wall 77 of the same generally curvature as the cylindrical wall for inner portion 27 of the locking cylinder 35. The outer sections 75 and the inner ends 73 define a generally T-shaped configuration for the bolt elements 33 although they may have various shapes. The two bolt elements 33 shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 are identical in shape and have their inner ends 73 generally rectangular in shape. The inner ends 73 will slide relative to one another to the closed position within slots 81 cut in the wall of the interior body portion 29 and extending to the bore 49 at the inner end 31 of the lock body 27. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, the slots 81 have a width about equal to the thickness of the bolt elements 33 which are guided by walls 82 of the slots 81 during their travel. When the bolt elements 33 are in the inner or closed position as shown in FIG. 7, bottom walls 83 of the sector shaped heads 75 of the bolt elements abut the bottom walls 84 of the slots 81.

Another form of actuating means 690 is shown in FIG. 8 to which the subscript a has been added to the reference characters used above for elements generally similar to those about to be described. The actuator means 69a comprises a rack and pinion means with a rack 85 formed on inner ends 73a of the bolt elements 330. The racks 85 have teeth meshed with gear teeth 87 of a pinion gear 89 formed or mounted on the small diameter end portion 37 of the locking cylinder 35. Turning the locking cylinder 35 and the pinion 89 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 8, drives the movable bolt elements 33a outwardly relative to one another to the outer locking position. Conversely, turning of the pinion 89 in the counterclockwise direction will cause the racks 85 to pull the movable bolt elements 33a inwardly to where the outer arcuate walls 77a on the bolt elements 330 are aligned or within the exterior wall of the lock body portion 29. The movable elements 33a are generally of the same shape as are elements 33 and hence will not be described in any further detail.

In a still further embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 9, bolt elements 33b are generally similar to the

bolt elements

33 and 33a, as above described. The bolt actuating means 69b comprises a cam 91 of generally elliptical shape formed on the small diameter interior portion 37 of the locking cylinder 35 for cooperation with cam follower surfaces 93 on the movable elements 33b. Turning the locking cylinder 35 and the cam 91 through 90 from the position shown in FIG. 9, earns the movable bolt elements 33b outwardly to the outer or locking position against the urging of springs 95. On the other hand, when the locking cylinder 35 is turned in the reverse direction to return the cam 91 to the position illustrated in FIG. 9, the springs 95, which are contractile springs, will pull the bolt elements 33b inwardly against the cam 91. Herein the contractile springs 95 are secured to and between pins 97 fastened to the bolt elements 33 to bias them both in engagement with the cam surface 91.

When the movable bolt elements 33 are in exposed position'to which access may be readily had by persons intending to break the lock 25, the bolt elements may be protected by the cap 47 which is telescoped onto inner end 31 of the interior portion 29 of the lock body 27. The preferred cap 47 may be telescoped readily on the inner end 31 of the lock body, as best seen in FIG.

6, when the bolt elements 33 are in their inner positions. Subsequently, the key 39 turns the locking cylinder 35 to actuate the bolt elements 33 outwardly to their locking positions, as best seen in FIG. 4, for cooperation with means on the cap to prevent removal of the cap 47 from the locking body 27. Preferably, the cap 47 is provided with an interior hollow chamber 101 which allows the outward radial movement of the bolt elements 33 into a blocking position with an annular end wall 103 on the cap. The annular end wall 103 has a central opening 105 leading to the chamber 101 to allow telescoping of the cap on the portion 29 of the lock body. In this instance, the cap 47 is inexpensively formed and is generally cylindrical in shape. The cover has a circular rear wall 107 integral with an outer cylindrical side wall 109 which is also integrally joined to the front wall 103. Preferably, the combined width of the front cap wall 103 and the rail 17 is slightly less than the distance between the shoulder 51 and the inner sides 111 of the movable bolt elements 33 so that no largegap exists at the shoulder 55 or between the rail 17 and the cap end wall 103.

When locking doors 12a, FIG. 3, with the stop 43, the thickness of the stop's depending leg 115 must be added to that of a wall 116 of the track 15a so that a longer distance is needed between the shoulder 51a and the inner sides 111 of the bolt elements 33. To allow a more universal system, the interior portion 29 may be made longer than the length shown in FIG. 4; and a cap 47a, as shown in FIG. 12, may be used for telescoping onto the inner end of the interior portion 29 of the locking body 27. More specifically, when the lock 25a is used with the channel leg 115, the movable elements 33 will be aligned for moving into a chamber 121 in the cap 47a. On the other hand, when the lock 25a is used without the stop 43 and inserted into an aperture 24 in the rail 17, the bolt elements 33 will be aligned to project into chamber 101a in the cap 47a. Thus, it will be seen that a cap 47 a may be provided with two chambers 101a and 121 for receiving the bolt elements 33 for use with a lock 25a for either of the

car doors

12 or 12a shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 11, the lock 25a with the longer length interior portion 29a may use the locking cap 47 rather than the two-chambered locking cap 47a when a spacer washer 122 is slid on the interior portion 29a. The washer 122 fills the space between the rail 17 and wall 103 of the cap. 12

In accordance with a still further embodiment of the invention, as best seen in FIG. 10, a lock 25b may be used to lock the latch 45 for the refrigerator car door 12b. More specifically, the door latch includes a U shaped portion 125 slidably mounted for horizontal movement within the U-shaped bracket 46 fastened to a wall 129 of a channel 131 formed on the leading end of the door 12b. The latch 45 further comprises a transverse leg 133 leading to a bolt end 135 which moves into a slot 137 in a keeper 139 secured to the stationary wall 141 of the car body 11b. To unlock the door 12 b, the latch 45 must be slid to the right, as viewed in FIG. 10, to withdraw bolt end 135 from the slot 137 whereupon the door may be pulled laterally, that is, away from car wall 141 to break a hermetic seal between the door channel 131 and a seal (not shown) on the car wall. Apertures (not shown) are drilled in a flat portion v143 of the bracket 46, the adjacent flat section 125 of the latch 45, and in the wall 129 of the door channel 131. The inner small diameter portion 29 is inserted through all three of the aligned apertures until shoulder 53b abuts the bracket wall 143. By turning the cylinders with the key 39, the movable bolt elements in the lock 25b are swung outwardly to a position to abut the interior side of the channel 129. As the bolt elements 33 are in a protected space within the channel 131, a cap need not be provided to protect the same. Thus, the door latch 45 may be locked by the lock 25b against sliding its bolt end 135 from the keeper 139.

Thus, in each of these illustrated embodiments of the invention, the lock is unlikely to be removed except by use of a key. As described, the outer portion 41 of the locks may be readily turned within the aperture car door preventing a breaking of the bolt elements by exerting a large torque thereon through the lock body 27. Likewise, when a cap is used, the cap also freely turns relatively to the bolt elements when a torque is exerted on the cap. Because of the strength of the one-piece lock body, it cannot be readily beaten open. Because of the recessed position of the cylinder 35 in the bore 49, it would be difficult to twist the cylinder by grasping it with a tool. Moreover, the recessed position of the cylinder in the lock makes it more difficult to use tools to try to pick the lock.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the illustrated lock is particularly inexpensive in that the locking body 27 may be made in one piece with relatively simple low cost construction. The locking cylinder 35 is of a conventional kind which is inexpensive and it can be readily assembled in the bore 49 of the lock body 27. The movable bolt elements 33 are simple to machine or otherwis e form. The pins 71 serve as a low cost, simple actuator means for the locking cylinder. The cap 47 or 470 may be readily machined or otherwise formed with its one or two cylindrical chambers.

in the illustrated embodiments of the invention, a key is used to shift the

bolt elements

33, 33a or 33b to the locking position; but it is possible to bias the bolt elements with springs (not shown) to a locking position to lock automatically without the use of a key. In this further embodiment of the invention, a key is used only to shift the bolt elements to the unlocked position when it is desired to remove the lock from an aperture in the car body. Thus, the number of keys issued may be reduced as only those persons who unlock the car doors need have access to a key for the lock. The springbiased bolt elements (not shown) may be provided with inclined camming surfaces on the leading and outer edges of the bolt elements so that the aperture wall will abut these camming surfaces and pivot the locking bolts inwardly. The aperture-defining wall will hold the bolt elements inwardly as the locking cylinder 35 is inserted. When the locking bolts pass the rear edge of aperture-defining wall, the springs will then pivot the locking bolts outwardly to the locking position to automatically lock against removal of the lock from the aperture. Rather than using inclined camming surfaces to pivot the locking bolts inwardly, one could press them inwardly with ones fingers and insert the lock into the aperture. After initial entry of the locking bolts into the aperture wall, the latter will hold them inwardly as the lock is shoved further into the aperture. The springbiased locking bolts should be in a protected space or provided with a locking cover 47 as a thief having access to the spring-biased locking bolts could push them inwardly with his fingers if they are not in a protected space. The preferred spring-biased locking bolts are generally similar to the locking bolts 33 but with an elongated camming slot therein for receiving the pin 71 which secures them to the locking cylinder 35. Turning of the locking cylinder will abut the pins 71 at the bottom wall of the elongated slots and pull the locking bolts inwardly to the unlocked position. When the pins 71 are rotated in the reverse direction to the locking position, the pins may be separated from the bottom wall of the elongated slots and the locking bolts are free to pivot outwardly or to be pushed inwardly against the urging of the springs. When the springs are allowed to pivot the locking bolts outwardly, the bottom walls of the elongated slots are brought adjacent the pins 71. Thus, it will be seen that a key need not be used to shift the locking bolts to the locking position in this last described embodiment of the invention.

While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure but, rather, it is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a locking system, the combination comprising a railroad car, a door providing access to the interior of said car, an upper rail means for slideably guiding said railroad door for sliding between an open and closed position, a lower rail means for slideably supporting and guiding said door, an aperture formed in one of said railroad rail means, a removable locking means including a lock having a portion extending from an exterior side of said one rail means into said aperture and projecting to said interior side of said one of said rail means, said locking means being exteriorly positioned on said one of said rail means for blocking said door against sliding from said closed position to said open position, means on said lock operable by a key to turn outwardly into locking position with said one rail means to prevent removal of said lock from said aperture whereby said locking means is secured to said one railroad car rail means in position for preventing opening of the car door, said means on said lock being turnable by said key to turn inwardly for removal from said aperture and removable of said locking means from said one rail means.

2. A locking system in accordance with claim 1 in which said lock comprises a body having an interior cylindrical portion for insertion into said aperture of a first diameter and an exterior portion of a larger dimension than said aperture at said one side of said one rail means to prevent pushing of said lock through said aperture.

3. A lock in accordance with claim 2 in which said means on said lock comprises a plurality of inwardly and outwardly movable elements, said elements being movable from an inward position within the diameter of said interior portion to allow insertion and removal of said interior portion through said aperture, said elements being movable to said outer position to extend outwardly of said diameter of said interior portion to prevent pulling of said lock from said aperture.

4. A locking system in accordance with claim 3 in which said look further comprises a turnable cylinder within said lock body, said cylinder being turnable within insertion of a proper key, said movable elements being connected to said cylinder and being movable outwardly when said cylinder is turned into a locking position and being moved inwardly to the inward position when said cylinder is turned to its unlocked position.

5. A locking system in accordance with claim 3 in which said lock further comprises a cap for telescoping over an inner end of interior portion to protect said movable elements, said cap having means cooperable with said movable elements to hold said cap against removal from said lock body while said movable elements are in an outward locking position.

6. A locking system in accordance with claim 4 in which said locking means further comprises a removable stop having a portion thereof positioned in the path of movement of said railroad car door for abutment with said railroad car door, said stop being secured to said railroad car by said lock to prevent the opening thereof.

7. A locking system in accordance with claim 6 in which a cap is provided for telescoping on the inner end of said lock body, first and second axially spaced chambers are formed in said cap each for receiving said movable elements, said first chamber receiving said movable elements when locking said stop to said railroad car, said second chamber receiving said movable elements when said stop is not in use with said lock.

8. A locking system for a railroad car comprising a railroad car body, track means on said car body including a lower rail for guiding said car door between open and closed positions, downwardly extending hooks on the lower portion of said car door hooked under said rail, an aperture formed in said rail adjacent one of said hooks when said car door is in a closed position, a removable lock having an interior smaller diameter portion projected into said aperture in said rail with an inner end thereof extending rearwardly of said rail, a removable cap telescoped on and covering said rearward end of said lock body, and means on said interior portion of said lock body movable into locking engagement with said cap to prevent the pulling of said lock from said aperture and removal of said cap, and key operable means in said lock for shifting said means into locking engagement with said cap.

9. A locking system in accordance with claim 8 in which said cap is provided with an annular chamber for receiving said movable elements and is freely turnable on said locking body and in which said key operable means comprises a turnable lock cylinder for swinging said movable elements between an inner position radially inward of said cap chamber and outer position projecting into said cap chamber.

10. A removable lock for insertion into an aperture in a railroad car for connection thereto to lock the car door against opening, said lock comprising a body having an interior portion for insertion into said aperture, the exterior portion of said body projecting from said car rail to prevent opening of said railroad car door, said exterior portion having a dimension larger than the diameter of said aperture to prevent pushing of said exterior portion through said aperture, an internal locking cylinder in said body turnable between a locked and unlocked position, said exterior portion having a thick encircling wall about said locking cylinder and extending outwardly of said cylinder .to define a recessed chamber for limiting access to said locking cylinder thereby protecting the same, a plurality of sector shaped locking elements connected to an inner end of said locking cylinder and having flat, planar, radially extending sides thereon, actuator pins connecting inner ends of said pins to said locking cylinder and located eccentrically of said axis of said cylinder to shift said sector shaped locking elements radially inwardly into said cylinder for removal of said lock from said railroad car aperture and to shift said locking elements radially outwardly to hold said lock on said railroad car,

a hollow cap for telescoping onto said inner end of said interior portion of said lock body and for covering said sector shaped locking elements,

wall means including a radially extending wall in said hollow cap defining an annular chamber for receiving said sector shaped elements when the latter are shifted radially outwardly into said annular chamber by said locking cylinder, said cap being freely turnable on said interior portion of said body,

said flat, planar, radially extending sides on said sector shaped elements engaging said radially extending wall of said cap at sector shaped areas to hold said cap onto said interior end, and a key receiving tumbler on said locking cylinder positioned substantially inwardly in said body and protected by said encircling wall for receiving a key to turn said cylinder.

Claims

4. A locking system in accordance with claim 3 in which said lock further comprises a turnable cylinder within said lock body, said cylinder being turnable within insertion of a proper key, said movable elements being connected to said cylinder and being movable outwardly when said cylinder is turned into a locking position and being moved inwardly to the inward position when said cylinder is turned to its unlocked position.

10. A removable lock for insertion into an aperture in a railroad car for connection thereto to lock the car door against opening, said lock comprising a body having an interior portion for insertion into said aperture, the exterior portion of said body projecting from said car rail to prevent opening of said railroad car door, said exterior portion having a dimension larger than the diameter of said aperture to prevent pushing of said exterior portion through said aperture, an internal locking cylinder in said body turnable between a locked and unlocked position, said exterior portion having a thick encircling wall about said locking cylinder and extending outwardly of said cylinder to define a recessed chamber for limiting access to said locking cylinder thereby protecting the same, a plurality of sector shaped locking elements connected to an inner end of said locking cylinder and having flat, planar, radially extending sides thereon, actuator pins connecting inner ends of said pins to said locking cylinder and located eccentrically of said axis of said cylinder to shift said sector shaped locking elements radially inwardly into said cylinder for removal of said lock from said railroad car aperture and to shift said locking elements radially outwardly to hold said lock on said railroad car, a hollow cap for telescoping onto said inner end of said interior portion of said lock body and for covering said sector shaped locking elements, wall means including a radially extending wall in said hollow cap defining an annular chamber for receiving said sector shaped elements when the latter are shifted radially outwardly into said annular chamber by said locking cylinder, said cap being freely turnable on said interior portion of said body, said flat, planar, radially extending sides on said sector shaped elements engaging said radially extending wall of said cap at sector shaped areas to hold said cap onto said interior end, and a key receiving tumbler on said locking cylinder positioned substantially inwardly in said body and protected by said encircling wall for receiving a key to turn said cylinder.