US919539A - Seal-lock. - Google Patents

Description

E. L. CHRISTIAN.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

anuzntoz Wit no UNITE EDWARD L. CHRISTIAN, OF ELPASO, TEXAS.

SEAL-LOCK.

Application filed September 16, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apm'12'7, 1909.

Serial No. 453,368.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD L. CHRISTIAN, citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the'county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in looks, relating more particularly to that type known as seal locks which are designed particularly for use in closing railway cars or the like and which embody a seal that must be broken before the o ening of the lock can be effected, thereby al' ording means for detecting the unauthorized opening of the lock and a fraudulent entrance to the car, and the object of the invention is anlimproved device of this char acter which is simple and durable in construction and consists of comparatively few parts which may be easily and cheaply manufactured and readily assembled, the parts being so arranged that with the exception of the seal itself, they are in no wise injured (luring the opening of the lock as would prevent its reuse.

/Vith this and other objects in view that will more readily appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features in theappended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the hasp; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the lock pin and Fig. 7 is a similar view of the locking pin, showing the same in inoperative position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all theviews of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In carrying out my invention, 1 provide a bracket 1 which is designed to be bolted or otherwise permanently secured to one of the parts. to be secured together, and in the present instance it is carried by the car body, and which is formed with upper and lower out standing arms 2 and 3 that have vertically of the holder, as shown.

alining openings 4 extending therethrou h, the opening in the lower bracket arm 3 ing slightly larger than the other opening, and said arm 3 being recessed in its upper face beyond the opening, as indicated at 5, so as to form a substantially vertical wall or outwardly facing shoulder The extremity of the upper bracket arm 2 is preferably bifurcated as shown, and is hingedly connected in any suitable manner to the upper end of a seal holder 7 near the inner or rear side thereof, so as to render the same susceptible of being swung upwardly and outwardly about a horizontal axis. The lower end of this seal holder is outwardly inclined or beveled in the present instance and said holder is formed with a vertical opening 8 extending longitudinally thereof and opening outwardly at the opposite ends This opening 8 is enlarged intermediate of its ends and preferably in close proximity to its lower end, in order to form a chamber 9 which is substantially parallel to the beveled end of the holder and which. opens outwardly through the rear side of the same so as to be closed against the vertical wall or outwardly facing shoulder 6 when the holder is in its normal position and rests upon the recessed extremity of the lower bracket arm 3, as shown. Positioned within the chamber 9 is a seal 10 which extends transversely of the opening 8 and which is preferably constructed of paper or tin, although it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular form of seal, but may construct the same of glass or clay, or any other approved material, and if desired may provide the portion of the outer face thereof that is exposed to view through the portion of the opening 8 below the chamber 9, with an inscription relating to the destination of the car, its official number, or any other subject matter. The seal holder 7 is also formed witha longitudinally extending and inwardly disposed slot 11 which is located above the chamber 9 and has its lower end preferably tapered, as shown, and which communicates with the upper portion of the opening 8 for a purpose to be hereinafter disclosed.

12 designates a securing member that in the present instance is in the form of a downwardly facing hooked hasp which is designed to be engaged with a suitable keeper carried by the other one of the parts to be secured together, and the shank 13 of which is slidingly mounted in the vertical alined openings 4 and has its lower extremity slightly enlarged, as shown, so as to be susceptible of passing through the opening in the lower bracket arm, but to be prevented from becoming'disengaged from the slightly smaller opening in the other arm. The hooked end 14 of this hasp is shorter than the shank 13 and is substantially parallel thereto and is designed to be inserted in the opening 8 to sustain the seal holder 7 in its normal position with the chamber 9 closed against the outwardly facing shoulder 6, said hooked end 14 terminating in close proximity to the seal 10 and being preferably chamfered to conform to the inclination thereof and formed at its lowermost extremity with one or more teeth 15. Above the teeth the hooked end 14 of the hasp is formed with an inwardly and upwardly curved aperture 16 extending therethroughas shown, and designed for the reception of a curved lock pin 17 which is slidingly mounted therein and has its extremities slightly enlarged so as to prevent the pin from becoming disengaged from the aperture. This pin is somewhat longer than the aperture and is designed to have its outer end bear lightly against the seal as the hasp is pushed home into an operative position, and a continued downward movement of the hasp causes the inner end of the pin to be projected inwardly beyond the aperture and to be received into the slot 11 A shoulder 18 is formed in the lower surface of the lock pin 17 near the inner end thereof and is designed to catch over the end of the hasp as the lock pin is projected into the slot 11, thereby preventing the lock pin from passing through the aperture and out of engagement with the slot 11 when the hasp is slightly raised, and thus holding the hooked end of the same securely in position in the seal holder.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that in order to release the hooked end of the hasp and permit it to be moved upwardly beyond the holder to be disengaged from the keeper on the car door, it is necessary to bear downwardly upon the hasp to project the hooked end 14 thereof through the seal 10, whereby to afford convenient access to the lock pin 17 and permit the same to be withdrawn from engagement with the slot 11. Obviously, the hasp may then be moved upwardly and the hooked end 14 thereof raised out of the opening 8 in the seal holder 7.

In order to render the lock susceptible of being again used, it is only necessary to swing the seal holder 7 upwardly about its horizontal axis, while the hasp is in raised position, and move the rear side of the holder outwardly beyond the lower bracket arm 3,

whereupon the ruptured seal may be con veniently withdrawn and replaced by a new one.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved seal lock which may be used repeatedly without becoming materially injured, which is positive in action and necessitates a breaking of the seal before the lock may be opened, and which consists of few parts that may be cheaply manufactured so as to be placed upon the market at a price not too great to prevent the general adoption of the lock.

When the hasp or securing member 12 is pressed downward, to break through the seal 10, the pin or lock 17 automatically is moved at the same time so as to clear the slot or recess 11, whereby upon the reverse movement of the hasp or securing member to disengage the part 14 from the holder 7, the pin or lock 17 will be out of the way and not interfere with the upward movement of the hasp or securing member. This result is effected by an inclined shoulder 19 at the lower end of the slot or recess 11, the inner end of the pin or lock 17 riding upon said inclined shoulder 19 and being moved outward thereby. When the inner end of the pin first comes in contact with the inclined shoulder 19, it is lifted to disengage its shoulder 18 from the inner end of the opening 16 and a continued downward movement of the securing member 12 presses the lock 17 outwardly through the aperture so that the inner end of the lock is entirely retracted from the slot 11 and the outer end is projected downwardly and forwardly beyond the chamfered end of the part 14 to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 7. In this position the lock is arranged in substantially the same relation to the part 14 as when the latter was first inserted in the holder 7, and it will be observed that because of the curved formation of the look, its forward end does not extend beyond the line of the periphery of the part 14, and hence in nowise interferes with the longitudinal movement of this part through the opening 8. As before described the ends of the lock pin 17 are sufficiently enlarged so as to be prevented from passing through the aperture 16, to prevent the look from becoming completely disconnected from the hasp, as might result in its loss, which would thereby render the entire device inoperative.

As the preferred means for effecting a suitable sliding connection between the hasp and the bracket, the shank 13 is formed, or provided after it has been passed through the upper opening 4, with a lug or projection 20 which constitutes a stop to prevent the shank from being withdrawn through said 0 ening, and which is adapted to be passed t rough an enlargement 21 formed in the lower opening 4 so as to render the hasp sus- .a chamber and an opening ceptible ot'having the desired limited movcment relative to the bracket.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A seal lock comprising intersecting the chamber, a seal located in said chamber, a hasp or like securing member slidably mounted in the said. opening and supported in operative position by the seal, and a .lock pin carried by said securing member and cooperating with the holder to prevent release oi the securing member so long as the seal remains intact.

2. A seal lock comprising a holder having a chamber and an opening intersecting the chamber, a seal located in said chamber, a hasp or like securing member slidably mount ed in said opening and supported in operative position by the seal and a lock pin for pre venting release of the securing member so long as the seal remains intact and adapted to release the securing member after the seal has been broken.

3. A sea-l lock comprising a holder having a chamber and an opening intersecting the chamber, a seal located in said chamber, a hasp or like securing member slidably mounted in said opening and supported in operative position by the seal and a curved lock pin carried by the securing member to prevent the release thereof so long as the seal remains intact.

4. A seal lock comprising a holder having a chamber, an opening intersecting the cham ber, and a recess at one side of said opening provided With an inclined Wall, a seal located in said chamber, a hasp or like securing member slidably mounted in the opening and supported in operative position by the seal and a lock pin carried by the securing member and having an end portion projected into the recess in communication with the aforesaid opening to prevent release oi the securing member so long as the seal remains intact, said lock pin being automatically thrown out of operative position by the aforesaid inclined Wall when the securing member is moved to break the seal.

5. A seal lock comprising a supporting member and a seal holder movably related the latter having a chamber which is closed at its entrance when the two members are associated, a seal located in the said chamber, and a hasp or securing member mounted in both members of the seal lock and adapted in an operative position to secure the same against separation.

6. A seal lock comprising a bracket having spaced arms, a seal holder having an opening and a chamber, the latter being closed at its entrance When the two parts of the seal lock are together, a seal located in said chamber, and a hasp having one arm slidably mounted in the arms of the aforesaid bracket and hava holder having mg its other arm slidably mounted in the said holder and maintained in operative position so long as the seal remains intact.

7. A seal lock comprising a bracket having spaced arms, a seal holder having an opening and a chamber, the latter being closed at its entrance when the two parts of the seal lock are together, a seal located in said chamber, a hasp having one arm slidably and rotatably mounted in the arms oi the aforesaid bracket and having its other arm slidably mounted in the said holder and supported in operative position by the seal, and a lock pin cooperating with the holder and the hasp member mounted therein to prevent release of the hasp and holder so long as the seal remains intact.

S. A seal lock comprising a holder having a chamber and an opening intersecting the chamber, a seal located in said chamber, a securing member mounted in the opening, and a lock pin [or preventing the release of the securing member so long as the seal remains intact.

9. A seal lock comprising a holder having a chamber and an opening intersecting the chamber, a seal located in said chamber, a securing member slidably mounted in the opening, a lock pin [or preventing the release ol' the securing member, and means for rendering the lock pin inoperative upon the movement of the scouring member to break the seal.

10. A seal comprising a holder having a chamber and an opening intersecting the chamber, a seal located in said chamber, a securing member slidably mounted in the opening, a lock pin carried by the securing member, means for engaging the lock pin with the holder upon the movement ol the securing member against the seal, and means for rendering the lock pin inoperative upon the movement of the securing member to break the seal.

1 1. A seal lock comprising a holder having a chamber, an opening intersecting the same, and a recess at one side of the opening, a seal located in said chamber, a scouring member slidably mounted in the opening and provided with a beveled end, and a lock pin slidably mounted in the said beveled end and having one end arranged to bear against the seal and project the other end of the pin into the recess.

12. A seal lock comprising a holder having an opening, a securing member mounted in the opening, a seal secured in proximity to the opening, means [or preventing the release of the securing member, and means [or rendering said iirst named means inoperative by and upon the movement ol' the securing member to break the seal.

13. A seal lock comprising a holder having an opening, a securing member mounted in the opening, a seal secured in proximity to the opening, a lock pin carried by the securing member, means for engaging the lock pin with the holder by and upon the movement of the securing member against the seal, and means for rendering the lock pin inoperative by and upon the movement of the securing member to break the seal.

14. A seal lock comprising a holder having an opening and a recess at one side of the same, a seal in proximity to the opening, a securing member mounted in the opening, and a lock pin slidably connected to the se curing member and having one end arranged to bear against the seal to project the other end into the recess.

15. A seal lock comprising a holder having an opening, a recess at one side of the same, a seal secured in proximity to the opening, a securing member mounted in the opening, a lock pin slidably connected to the securing member, means for projecting the lock pin into the recess, and means for preventing the disengagement of the lock pin from the recess as long as the seal remains intact.

16. A seal lock comprising a supporting 25 E. L. CHRISTIAN. [L. s.l

Witnesses W. S. DAWSON, W. A. RINDAUER.

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