US465941A - Anson parker merrill - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' A. P. MERRILL.

LOGK..

No. 465,941. Patented'Deac. 29, 1-891;

.FLE ME rr'zZZ UNITED STATES ANSON PARKER MERRILL, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR OF PATENT OFFICE.

ONE HALF TO CHARLES A. HICKS, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,941, dated December 29, 1891. Application filed November 17, 1890. Serial No. 371,701- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANsoN PARKER MER-' RILL, of Fall River, in the county of Bristol "and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert ains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in locks.

My present invention consists in a lock composed of a strong inclosed metal case having an opening at one end, the hasp to enter said opening having the opposite shoulders at its inner end, and the single swinging locking-dog longitudinally located within the case and consisting of the shank pivoted at its inner end and the head integral with the outer end of the shank, having the two arms with opposite inturned locking ends a sufficient distance apart to admit said bolt, said dog being formed of a plurality of similar longitudinal sections, a separate spring for each section, one section having, a spring considerably lighter in tension than the others, all of said sections normally acting together as a single dog to engage one shoulder only of the hasp, but so that if the case be su'ddenly struck the section with the light spring will move faster than the remaining sections and will engage the opposite shoulder of the hasp before the remaining sections leave the shoulder of the hasp they normally engage, whereby picking or opening of the look by sudden blows or like means is prevented.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the lock with the side of the plate removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line a m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aplan View of the lock. Fig. a is a plan of a key which can be used to unlock the device. Fig. 5 is a view of the invention employed as a padlock.

In the drawings, the reference-letter a incli- 5o cates the strong heavy metal case of the lock,

which is preferably somewhat flat and elongated, and at one en d is provided with the lug b, integral therewith, and to which one end of the chain c is securely fastened. The opposite end of the case is provided with the rectangular aperture (Z to snugly receive the rectangular (or other shaped) bolt 6, having the flanged perforated head f, to which the opposite end of said chain is strongly secured. The outer end of said bolt is beveled on two sides, as shown, and on the same sides is provided with the two recesses, forming shoulders g g, facing toward the opposite end of the bolt, said beveled sides terminating in said shoulders. 5

The locking device consists of the dog 71, pivoted at i at the end of its shank it, near the end of the case opposite opening d in the same, so that its free end can swing freely into and out of the plane of the opening d. The laterally-swinginglocking-dog has its free end formed of a head composed of the two branching arms Z m, having the inturned locking ends or shoulders l m, located a distance apart suflicient to easily admit the end of the locking-bolt. The outer ends of said arms are beveled, as shown, to correspond With the beveled end of the bolt. The locking-dog is held with its shoulder Z extending into the plane of the opening cl by one or more springs n interposed between the edge of the dog and the wall of the case and secured on a suitable pin. This spring (or springs) keeps the dog when unlocked with its locking-arm in position just described and its edge 0 resting against the side of the case. Thus when the bolt is pushed into the opening d its beveled end engages the beveled outer end of shoulder Z, thereby throwing up the lockingdog against the tension of the spring until 0 one shoulder of the bolt has passed in beyond said shoulder Z, when the dog will spring to its normal position with the shoulder Z outside of the shoulder of the bolt, thereby securely locking the bolt against outward movement, and hence firmly locking the two ends of the chain together.

q is the key-hole extending through the case at one side of the dog and near the head thereof, and containing, preferably, a drum or I00 tions, and the center section is provided with barrel, as usual, to receive and form the pivot for the key. This key-hole is on the opposite side of the dog from arm Z.

Fig. 4 illustrates a form of key which can be used to swing the dog laterally against tension of its springs, so that its locking end Z swings clear of shoulder g and allows the withdrawal of the bolt. As soon as the key is removed the dog springs back to its normal position, ready to automatically lock the bolt when thrust in through opening (1.

In Fig. 5 the invention is shown applied as a padlock, the case being somewhat widened to make room for the long end of sliding hasp p, which has its outer end bent inwardly to form a hook and constitute the locking-bolt c. The case is also provided with opening d to receive the long end of the hasp, so that it can slide back and 'forth to throw the locking end 6, carried thereby, into or out of the case. The inner end of long arm of the hasp is provided with a stop, as shown, to prevent withdrawal of the hasp. The remaining parts of the lock are constructed as before described and its operation is obvious without further explanation. The swinging dog is composed of a series of similar longitudinal sections (see Fig. 2) capable of swinging separately, but all pivoted at i, and hence constituting the one dog. Each section has its own spring at. There are preferably three of these seea lighter spring 0 than the remaining sections. The object of this light spring is to prevent the lock being unlocked by a sharp heavy blow which might jar the shoulders g and I from engagement and allow the withdrawal of the bolt without a key; but by employing this light spring the section of the dog which it controls will move easier and faster than the other sections of the dog, and hence when the blow is struck said section will spring back against the tension of its light spring and disengage its shoulder Z from shoulder g of the bolt, but its shoulder m will engage the other shoulder g of the bolt before the shoulders Z of the other sections with the heavier springs have left shoulder g. By the time shoulders m and g disengage,

the shoulders l of the heavyspringed sections have resumed their normal position. Of course these movements are momentary.

The cheapness, simplicity, and many advantages of this look are obvious.

The locks shown are somewhat enlarged over those ordinarily made and sold.

"What I claim is- 1. The herein-described lock, consisting of the inclosed portable case having the haspopening, the hasp having the opposite shoulders, and the single locking-dog longitudinally located within said case and composed of the shank pivoted at its inner end and having the two branching arms at its outer end with the opposite locking ends, said dog made up of similar longitudinal sections, each provided with a separate spring, one of said springs 0' being smaller or of lighter tension than the remaining springs, all of said sections normally moving in the same direction, as a single dog, and engaging one shoulder only of the hasp, whereby a sudden blow will cause the section having the spring 0 to lock the hasp by its opposite shoulder, as set forth.

2. In combination, the inclosed metal case having bolt-opening at one end, the chain at one end secured to opposite end of said case, the double-shouldered bolt secured to opposite end of said chain, the laterally-swinging dog longitudinally within said case, having the two opposite arms with opposite inturned locking ends, said dog formed of a series of like longitudinal sections, a separate spring for each section, one of said springs being lighter in tension than the remaining springs, all of said springs pressing said sections in the same direction, so as to normally engage one shoulder only of the bolt, and whereby the section having lighter spring will operate as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANSON PARKER ltlERRI'LL.

\Vitnesses:

(i. F. LABONTA, Louis GIRARDIN.

Images