HIGH SECURITY PADLOCK FOR RAILROAD SWITCH LOCKING MECHANISM

• US 3,754,419 A
• Filed: 08/21/1972
• Issued: 08/28/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James L. Taylor
• Original Assignee: James L. Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/282,040
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 70/38R,38A,38B,38C,51,52,54,55,56,53,203
• US Class Current: 70/52
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/38 Auxiliary or protective devices weather protection E05B17/002; armoured cases E05B67/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/459 Both legs engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/489 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5739 With padlock

Abstract

A high security padlock for railroad switch locking stands, including a U-shaped shackle to extend through an aperture in an eye formation of a locking lever on the stand, and a padlock body having a pair of shroud shoulder formations projecting upwardly for unequal heights in enshrouding relation to three sides of the respective shackle legs. The shoulder formations extend into recesses in portions of the stand flanking the eye, when the shackle is in the eye, with the shorter shoulder spaced far enough to the confronting surface of the stand to permit insertion of the user'"'"''"'"'s finger into holding relation with the shackle.

Claims

1. A high security padlock for securing in locked condition a railroad switch locking stand of the type including a locking lever having an apertured eye portion to receive a locking element therethrough and the stand including a stationary body portion having recesses laterally flanking opposite sides of the apertured eye portion bounded by curved abutment surfaces substantially registering with a segment of the aperture in said eye portion when the locking lever is in switch locking position, the padlock comprising a U-shaped shackle including a curved intermediate portion and a pair of shackle legs, a padlock casing including a main body portion having an upper shelf surface, the casing including a pair of laterally spaced sockets opening through said upper shelf surface for receiving the shackle legs and accommodating relative axial reciprocative movement of the shackle and casing between a lower locking position and an upper release position, and the padlock casing including shroud formations extending upwardly from said main body portion having cavities therein to receive the two shackle legs and enshroud the shackle legs over substantially their entire height, the shroud formations including a first portion which extends into one of said recesses alongside said eye portion to a position immediately adjacent one of said curved abutment surfaces when the intermediate portion of the shackle extends through the eye aperture and a second portion of the shroud formation extends along the opposite side of the eye portion into the other of said recesses to a location sufficiently more remote from its confronting abutment surface to permit the operator'"'"''"'"'s finger to extend laterally therebetween into restraining contact with the shackle for positioning the latter during relative movement of the padlock body to said locking position.

2. A high security padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said shroud formations comprise a pair of laterally spaced shroud shoulders each enshrouding three sides of their associated shackle legs and defining a space between the spaced shoulders bottomed by said shelf surface for receiving the eye portion of said locking lever therein.

3. A high security padlock as defined in claim 1 wherein said main body portion is of elliptical horizontal cross-section and said shroud formations extend upwardly unequal heights from said shelf surface at the opposite ends of the elliptical body portiOn bisected by the major axis of the ellipse.

4. A high security padlock as defined in claim 2 wherein said main body portion is of elliptical horizontal cross-section and said shroud formations extend upwardly unequal heights from said shelf surface at the opposite ends of the elliptical body portion bisected by the major axis of the ellipse.

5. A high security padlock as defined in claim 1 wherein said main body portion is of elliptical horizontal cross-section and said shroud formations extend upwardly unequal heights from said shelf surface at the opposite ends of the elliptical body portion bisected by the major axis of the ellipse, the shroud formations having vertical parallel inner surfaces confronting each other through which said cavities protrude and having a truncated elliptical cross-section.

6. A high security padlock as defined in claim 2 wherein said main body portion is of elliptical horizontal cross-section and said shroud formations extend upwardly unequal heights from said shelf surface at the opposite ends of the elliptical body portion bisected by the major axis of the ellipse, the shroud formations having vertical parallel inner surfaces confronting each other through which said cavities protrude and having a truncated elliptical cross-section.

7. A high security padlock as defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second shroud portions have top surfaces spaced about seven-eighths inch and eleven-sixteenths inch respectively from said upper shelf surface.

8. A high security padlock as defined in claim 2 wherein the first and second shroud portions have top surfaces spaced about seven-eighths inch and eleven-sixteenths inch respectively from said upper shelf surface.

9. A high security padlock as defined in claim 5 wherein the first and second shroud portions have top surfaces spaced about seven-eighths inch and eleven-sixteenths inch respectively from said upper shelf surface.

10. A high security padlock as defined in claim 6 wherein the first and second shroud portions have top surfaces spaced about seven-eighths inch and eleven-sixteenths inch respectively from said upper shelf surface.