LOCK WITH SECURITY COUNTER

• US 3,789,639 A
• Filed: 07/10/1972
• Issued: 02/05/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard S. Canter
• Original Assignee: Richard S. Canter
• Inventors: Canter, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/270,313
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 70/38A,51,52,431,432,433,434,435,436,437 235/115,117
• US Class Current: 70/437
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/04 with counting or registering devices time recording locks G07C1/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/459 Both legs engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8162 Padlock

Abstract

A lock such as a padlock in combination with a registering counter operated by the shackle of the lock for counting and registering the number of times the shackle is moved from unlocked to locked position, in which the acuating link between the shackle and the counter comprises rack and pinion means.

Claims

1. A lock comprising a main body portion;

a shackle movable with relation to said main body portion from an unlocked position to a locked position, a locking mechanism for locking the shackle in said locked position, a registering counter operated by said shackle for counting and registering the number of times the shackle is moved from unlocked to locked position;

wherein the shackle comprises a leg including rack means and the registering counter includes pinion means in meshed engagement with said rack means.

2. A lock as claimed in claim 1, in which the rack means comprises at least one tooth including a ridge, with at least a portion of said ridge curved around a portion of the leg.

3. A lock as claimed in claim 2, in which the shackle leg is rotatably mounted to rotate on an axis with relation to the main body portion and the curved ridge of the rack tooth is substantially located in at least a portion of a circumference around said axis of said leg.

4. A lock as claimed in claim 1, in which the rack means comprises annular teeth.

5. A lock as claimed in claim 4, in which the registering counter is a digital counter actuated by movement of the pinion.

6. A lock as claimed in claim 4, in which the registering counter is included within the main body portion and the pinion means is positioned substantially perpendicular to said leg axis within said body portion.

7. A lock as claimed in claim 6, in which the body portion has observation means through which at least a portion of the registering counter is visible, and the registering counter has a visible read out.

8. A lock as claimed in claim 7, in which the shackle is U-shaped and is provided with a second leg shorter than said first leg, comprising an end positioned outside of the main body portion when the shackle is in unlocked position and within the main body portion when the shackle is moved to locked position.

9. A lock as claimed in claim 8, in which the first mentioned shackle leg is movably mounted within the main body portion against the action of spring means seated within said main body portion with said spring means positioned to urge said first mentioned leg towards the unlocked position.

10. A lock as claimed in Claim 9, in which the locking mechanism comprises a pair of ball elements and the shackle legs are each formed with a ball receiving portion positioned so that the ball elements will enter said ball receiving portions when said shackle is moved to locked position, to maintain said shackle in locked position.

11. A lock as claimed in claim 10, in which the locking mechanism includes operating cylinder means to operate the ball elements.

12. A lock as claimed in claim 11, in which the operating cylinder means includes a removable key.

13. A lock as claimed in claim 11, in which the operating cylinder means is associated with combination operating means.

14. A lock as claimed in claim 11, in which the registering counter is connected to the pinion means by means of a shaft and the counter and its shaft are in offset perpendicular relation to the first mentioned shackle leg.