LATCHING DEVICE AND COMBINATION LOCKING MEANS

• US 3,597,945 A
• Filed: 07/11/1969
• Issued: 08/10/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Presto Lock Company
• Original Assignee: Irving Feinberg
• Inventors: Feinberg, Irving
• Application Number:
  US04/840,993
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• US Class Current: 70/68
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 19/301 at the end of their upward travel with any suitable device, e.g. pull member combined with a press-button, a hook, a key-operated lock
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/02 with tumbler discs or rings arranged on a single axis, each disc being adjustable independently of the others
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 190/903 Zipper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/314 Sliding catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5053 Interengageable slide fastener type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/508 Hasp type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7305 Manually operable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7339 Pin and socket

Abstract

A latching device of the type which includes a latch pivotally connected to a body member employs a resiliently mounted, manually operable plug connected to the body member for longitudinal sliding movement with respect thereto. Cooperable means are provided by the latch and the plug to releasably connect the latch to the plug. The latch overlies the body member in the latched condition of the device and, in such condition, the exposed side of the device provides a flat, continuous surface. Combination locking means of the type to permit the selection of a combination of one'"'"''"'"'s own secret choice is associated with the plug to releasably lock the plug in its latched position. The means for selecting or changing the combination is covered by the latch in the latched condition of the device. In the unlatched position of the latch, the means for changing the combination is exposed at the front of the device and on the same side that one views the dials of the combination locking means.

Claims

1. A latching device comprising a body member having a pair of transversely spaced extensions at one end of the body member, a latch pivotally connected to the outer sides of the extensions, a plug connected to the body member for longitudinal sliding movement with respect thereto, the plug having an end portion positioned between the extensions for manual engagement, the opposite end of the plug-providing means cooperable with means on the latch to releasably connect the latch to the plug, and resilient means related to the plug to normally urge the plug toward latched position.

2. A latching device according to claim 1, wherein the latch is provided with an aperture, and locking means cooperable with the plug is accessible through the aperture.

3. A latching device according to claim 1, wherein the body member comprises a face portion, and a pair of sidewalls extending downwardly from the face portion and terminating in a base portion, an extension of the base portion beyond said face portion and sidewalls at the end opposite the end of the body member to which the latch is pivotally connected, an opening at each end of the body member defined by the face portion and sidewalls, the plug having the ends thereof extending through said openings, the end of the plug overlying said extension having the means cooperable with the latch, and a bottom plate connected to the underside of the body member to confine the plug between the body member and the bottom plate.

4. A latching device according to claim 3, wherein a hook is provided on the underside of the latch, and the end of the plug having the means cooperable with the means on the latch is provided with a camming surface cooperable with the hook.

5. A latching device according to claim 3, wherein said extension is provided with an upstanding stud beyond the end of the plug.

6. A latching device according to claim 3, wherein the plug comprises a pair of transversely extending ends connected by a pair of opposite longitudinally extending arms.

7. A latching device according to claim 6 wherein one of the longitudinally extending arms has a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs;

and wherein the face portion of the body member has a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots, a longitudinally extending shaft on the underside of the face portion, dials positioned in said slots, a sleeve for each dial mounted on the shaft with the sleeves in abutting, end-to-end relationship, each sleeve having a flange and a flat portion, a flange being cooperable with a spaced lug to block the movement of the plug, the plug being movable when said flat portions are in alignment with the lugs, the latch having an aperture to permit access to the dials.

8. A latching device according to claim 7, wherein each dial and its respective sleeve are provided with means for keying them together;

wherein the resilient means related to the plug to normally urge the plug toward latched position is positioned on the shaft and also acts to normally urge the sleeves into keyed relationship with their respective dials, and means extending from the shaft for moving the sleeves out of keyed engagement from their respective dials.

9. A latching device according to claim 8, wherein the means extending from the shaft for moving the sleeves out of keyed engagement from their respective dials includes a manually engageable portion positioned on the extension of the base portion, said manually engageable portion being exposed on the same side of the device as the dials and being covered when the latch is in latched position.

10. A latching device according to claim 8, wherein each sleeve is provided with a slot on the side diametrically opposite the flat portion, wherein the longitudinally extending arm opposite the arm having the plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs is provided with guiding means for each sleeve sLot;

and wherein an adjacent sidewall of the body member is provided with longitudinally spaced openings aligned with said guiding means.

11. A latching device according to claim 9, wherein each sleeve is provided with a slot on the side diametrically opposite the flat portion, wherein the longitudinally extending arm opposite the arm having the plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs is provided with guiding means for each sleeve slot;

and wherein an adjacent sidewall of the body member is provided with longitudinally spaced openings aligned with said guiding means.

12. A latching device comprising a body member having longitudinally spaced slots, a latch having an aperture pivotally connected to one end of the body member, a manually operable plug connected to the body member for longitudinal sliding movement with respect thereto, cooperable means provided by the latch and the plug to releasably connect the latch to the plug in the latched position of the latch wherein the latch overlies the body member, resilient means related to the plug to normally urge the plug toward latched position, and combination locking means cooperable with the plug, said combination locking means including a plurality of dials positioned to partially extend through said slots, access to the dials being through said aperture in the latch.

13. A combination lock comprising a body member having a plurality of spaced aligned slots, a manually operable plug cooperable with a latch, a longitudinally extending shaft, a dial positioned to extend partially through each of said slots, a sleeve for each dial mounted on the shaft, each sleeve having a flange and a flat portion cooperable with means provided by the plug to selectively block and allow movement of the plug, cooperable means provided by each dial and its respective sleeve for keying them together, spring means on the shaft normally urging the sleeves into keyed relationship with their respective dials, a backplate for the plug, shaft, dials and sleeves connected to the underside of the body member, and a sleeve-shifting member connected to the shaft having a manually engageable portion positioned on the same side of the body member as the exposed portions of the dials adapted to be covered when the latch is in latched position.

14. A combination lock according to claim 13, wherein the spring means also acts to normally urge the plug toward latched position.

15. A combination lock according to claim 13, wherein the body member comprises a face portion, and a pair of sidewalls extending downwardly from the face portion and terminating in a base portion, an extension of the base portion beyond said face portion and sidewalls, an opening at each end of the body member defined by the face portion and sidewalls, the manually operable plug having the ends thereof extending through said openings, the end of the plug overlying said extension providing the means cooperable with the latch.

16. A combination lock according to claim 15, wherein the manually engageable portion of the sleeve-shifting member is positioned to overlie the base portion extension.

17. A combination lock according to claim 16, wherein the shifting member comprises a portion fixed to the shaft, a transverse portion extending from the shaft, and the manually engageable portion extending parallel to the shaft.

18. A combination lock according to claim 15, wherein the plug comprises a pair of transversely extending ends connected by a pair of opposite longitudinally extending arms, one of the arms having a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs, a flange being cooperable with a spaced lug to block movement of the plug, the plug being movable when the flat portions are in alignment with the lugs.

19. A combination lock according to claim 18, wherein each sleeve is provided with a slot on the side diametrically opposite the flat portion, wherein the longitudinally extending arm opposite the arm having the plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs is proviDed with guiding means;

and wherein an adjacent sidewall of the body member is provided with longitudinally spaced openings aligned with said guiding means.