ELECTRONIC COMBINATION LOCK SYSTEM

• US 3,754,213 A
• Filed: 09/03/1971
• Issued: 08/21/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard J. Morroni, Thomas J. Morroni
• Original Assignee: Richard J. Morroni, Thomas J. Morroni
• Inventors: Morroni, Thomas J., Morroni, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US05/177,710
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 340/147R,164R,147MD,147LP 317/134
• US Class Current: 340/5.33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like

Abstract

A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and other applications includes digit selector switches at each door location or station and a central comparator utilizing NAND gates, separate comparator units being provided for each digit. A multiple digit code is selected by simple switch means such as multiple contact thumb wheel switches and the code may be changed quickly at any time with no modification or rewiring of the circuits. The system includes a timer for resetting the entire system if the code is not entered within a preselected time and a control for resetting the system in the event that more than the number of digits in the code are entered. An alarm system is provided to indicate the selector station at which more than a predetermined excess number of digits are entered, thus indicating a possible attempt to break the code at that station. In addition the selection of a digit at any station disables all other stations and actuates indicators at all stations showing that the system is in use. A plurality of such combination systems each having its respective central comparator may be controlled by a single digit code selector or determinator so that the same code must be entered for all stations but so that the signal entry, indicator, resetting and alarm functions of each system are independent of those of the other systems.

Claims

1. A combination lock system of the electronic type for selectively releasing locks at a plurality of stations and utilizing a plural digit code said system comprising:

an electrically releasable lock at each station, a digit selector switch assembly at each station, a code setting unit comprising a plurality of selector switches one for each digit of the code, a comparator, means connecting said switch assemblies and said comparator, means connecting said code selector switches and said comparator, enabling means for preparing said comparator to compare the selected code digit and the digit selected at said switch assemblies in predetermined order, a plurality of lock release signal generators, a plurality of memory devices one associated with each of said lock release signal generators, each of said memory devices being connected with the respective one of said switch assemblies for triggering regardless of the digit selected, means responsive to the first digit signal from said digit selector switch for preventing the actuation of all door release signal generators other than the first selected signal generator, and means dependent upon the entry of the correct code for triggering the selected signal generator to release its respective lock.

2. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like and utilizing a plural digit code, said system comprising:

a digit comparator including a plurality of comparing units one for each digit, a plurality of locks each at a respective lock station, digit selectors one at each station and each including a respective selector switch for each digit, means connecting the switches at all of said lock stations to corresponding respective digit units of said comparator, code selecting means one for each digit of a plural digit code for preparing selected ones of the units of said comparator for operation, a plurality of pairs of memory means and lock release means one pair for each of said stations, said memory means being connected to be triggered by the operation of one of said switches at the respective station, means for connecting all of the switches of each of said stations to a respective one of said memory means, means for preventing the operation of the remaining ones of said memory means upon triggering of any one of said memory means, enabling means associated with said comparator for preparing the selected units of said comparator in sequential order whereby only one of said comparator units may be triggered at one time, means dependent upon the selection of a predetermined plurality of digits in a predetermined order for producing an output signal, and means for applying said output signal to respective ones of said release means whereby the respective lock is released.

3. A combination lock system of The electronic type for doors and the like as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said code selecting means includes a single pole multiple position switch, each position being connected to a respective one of said comparing units.

4. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like as set forth in claim 2, including timing means energized upon closing of any switch at any of said stations for resetting said system after a predetermined interval of time.

5. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like as set forth in claim 2, including alarm means including digit counting means for energizing an alarm upon the selection of a predetermined number of incorrect digits at one of said stations.

6. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like as set forth in claim 2, including means connected with said digit enabling means for resetting said system upon the selection of one digit more than the number of digits in the plural digit code.

7. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like as set forth in claim 5, including means connected with said digit enabling means for resetting said system upon the selection of one digit more than the number of digits in the plural digit code, said alarm means producing an alarm upon the selection of a predetermined plurality of incorrect digits within a predetermined time regardless of the resetting of said system.

8. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like as set forth in claim 2, including indicating means at each of said stations;

means responsive to the actuation of any one of said digit selectors at any of said stations for actuating all of said indicators to indicate initiation of use of the system.

9. A combination lock system of the electronic type for doors and the like utilizing a plural digit code and comprising:

comparator circuit means including a separate circuit unit for each digit, a plurality of digit selecting means one for each digit of a plural digit code and each including a plurality of digit selecting elements, each respective digit selecting element of each respective selecting means being connected to the corresponding one of said units of said comparator circuit means, each of said circuit units including a plurality of similar circuit components one for each digit of the code and connected to a respective one of said selecting elements, a digit selector means associated with the lock to be controlled for entering a plural digit code in said comparator circuit, a plurality of enabling means one for each digit of the plural digit code and each connected to said comparator circuit means for preparing the respective circuit component of each of said units of said comparator means for signal generation, means responsive to successive correct signals from said code selecting means for preparing the respective ones of said enabling means in the order of the predetermined code sequence of digits to be selected, only one of said enabling means being prepared at any one time, memory means including a plurality of memory units and dependent upon the input of a digit signal corresponding to the selected digit of said comparator means for activating a respective one of said memory units upon selection of each successive correct digit, means responsive to the selection of the digits of the selected plural digit code in sequence for producing a release signal, and means for applying the release signal produced by said last mentioned means for releasing said lock.

10. A combination lock system of the electronic type comprising:

a plurality of lock stations each including an electrically releasable lock and a digit selecting device, a code selector comprising a respective digit selecting device one for each digit of a plural digit code, central comparator means connected to the digit selecting devices of all said stations and to said digit selecting devices of said code splector means for comparing the digits entered at any of said stations with the code entered on said code selector means, means responsive to the entry of a digit at any one of said stations for preventing the entry of digits from any other station from effecting release of any lock, and means dependent upon the entry of a plurality of digits at any station which are the same and in the same sequence as the digits selected by said code selecting means for actuating the release of the lock at such station.

11. A combination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 10 including timing means activated upon the entry of any digit at any of said stations for resetting said system in the event the correct code is not entered before the expiration of a predetermined period of time.

12. A combination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 10 including means for resetting said system upon the entry of a number of digits in excess of the number in said code.

13. A combaination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 11 including means for resetting said system upon the entry before the expiration of said time period of more digits than the number of digits in said code.

14. A combination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 10 including a plurality of indicator means one at each of said stations, and means dependent upon the selection of any digit at any of said stations for actuating all of said indicator means to indicate at all stations that the system is in use.

15. A combination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 10 including means including a plurality of alarms one for each station and responsive to the entry of more than a predetermined excess number of digits at any one of said stations and regardless of the resetting of said system for actuating the respective one of said alarms.

16. A combination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 13 including means including a plurality of alarms one for each station and responsive to the entry of more than a predetermined excess number of digits at any one of said stations and regardless of the resetting of said system for actuating the respective one of said alarms.

17. A combination lock system of the electronic type comprising:

a multiplicity of lock stations each including an electrically releasable lock and a digit selecting device, said lock stations being divided into a plurality of separate different groups each including one or more of said stations, a respective independent central comparator and control means connected to the respective digit selecting devices of all stations of each of said groups, a code selector means comprising a plurality of digit selecting devices, one for each digit of a plural digit code, means connecting said code selector means to all of said central comparator means whereby each of said comparator means compares the digits entered at any of its respective stations with the code determined by said code selector means, means responsive to the entry of a digit at any one of said stations of each respective one of said groups for preventing the entry of digits from any other station in the same group from effecting release of any lock in said group, and means dependent upon the entry of a plurality of digits at any station in a respective group which are the same and in the same sequence as the digits selected by said code selecting means for actuating the release of the lock at such station.

18. A combination lock system of the electronic type as set forth in claim 17 including a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'system-in-use'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' indicator at each station of said groups having a plurality of stations, and wherein each of said independent central comparator and control means of such groups includes means for energizing said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'system-in-use'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' indicators at all other stations of the respective group upon entry of aN input signal at any one of the stations of such groups, whereby the entry of a signal at any station in a respective group provides a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'system-in-use'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' indication for all other stations of such group without affecting the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'system-in-use'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' control of any other group.