KEY-RECEIVING LOCK ASSEMBLIES AND APPARATUS INCORPORATING SUCH ASSEMBLIES

• US 3,798,398 A
• Filed: 01/29/1973
• Issued: 03/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Austin Ariss Hills
• Original Assignee: Austin Ariss Hills
• Inventors: Hills, Austin Ariss
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, William J.
• Application Number:
  US05/327,709
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 70/239,429 200/42R,44 340/147R,147LP 307/1R,1AT
• US Class Current: 70/429
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 11/00 Devices preventing keys from being removed from the lock ; Devices preventing falling or pushing out of keys preventing turning of the key E05B13/00; keyhole guards E05B17/14; E05B35/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0007 with two or more electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/063 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7989 Key securers, fasteners or retainers

Abstract

In a key-receiving lock assembly for controlling access to or use of leased apparatus, two remotely energized electromagnets may be operated alternately to engage and disengage a securing member relative to the operable elements of the lock, said securing member, when engaged, securing the key within the lock and securing the operable elements of the lock in a position preventing access to or use of the apparatus protected by the lock. A switch inhibits engagement of the securing member unless the key is in the lock and the lock is in the securing position. A second switch, closed by lock rotation to a position other than the securing position or the position in which the key is insertable into and removable from the lock, provides continuous operational access to the apparatus protected by the lock. A third switch provides transient energization of a circuit such as required for starting of an internal combustion engine. Disconnectable remote control means, with protective features, are included.

Claims

1. A key-receiving lock assembly for use with apparatus and for controlling at least part of the apparatus by means thereof when the key is present in the assembly, the assembly including a keyreceiving member having a primary predetermined position in which the key is insertable therein and removable therefrom, at least one control member movable when the key is in the key-receiving member, key-retaining means operable from a point remote from the lock assembly for securing the key against removal from said keyreceiving memer when said key-receiving member is in said primary predetermined position, said key-retaining means when operable preventing movement of said key-receiving member to a position other than said primary predetermined position, and said keyretaining means preventing movement of said at least one movable control member when said key is secured against removal from said key-receiving member.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, and including key-releasing means operable remotely of the assembly for releasing the key for removal from the key-receiving member when said key-receiving member is in said primary predetermined position, said key-releasing means permitting movement of said key-receiving member to positions other than said primary predetermined position when said key is in said key-receiving member, and said key-releasing means permitting movement of said at least one movable control member when said key is in said key-receiving member and when said key is released to permit removal from said key-receiving member.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the key-retaining means, when released to permit removal of the key from the key-receiving member, and when released to permit movement of said key-receiving member to positions other than said primary predetermined position, and when released to permit movement of the said at least one movable control member, permits repeated removal and insertion of said key when said key-receiving member is in said primary predetermined position and permits repeated movement of said key-receiving member to and from positions other than said primary predetermined position when said key is in said key-receiving member, and therefore permits repeated and exclusive operational access to the apparatus controlled by the lock assembly by the use of said key until the key is once again secured by said remotely operable key-retaining means against removal from the lock and the key-receiving member is once again secured against movement to a position other than said primary predetermined position, whereby the said at least one movable control member is secured against movement by said key or by said key-receiving member.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, and including disconnectable connecting means between said lock assembly and said means operable remotely of said lock assembly whereby said apparatus controlled by said lock assembly may be disconnected from the remote means subsequent to release of said key and said repeated and exclusive operational access to the apparatus controlled by the lock assembly is thereafter independent of connection to said remotely operable means or location of the said lock assembly and said apparatus relative to said remotely operable means.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, and including means positively preventing movement of the key-retaining means into the key-retaining position when the key is removed from or not fully inserted into the key-receiving member or when the key is fully inserted into said key-receiving member and said key-receiving member is in any position other than the said primary predetermined position.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, and including means for providing an indication at the remote operating point upon an attempt to secure the key against removal from the key-receiving member when said key is removed from or not fully inserted into said key-receiving member, or when saiD key is fully inserted into said key-receiving member and said key-receiving member is in any position other than said primary predetermined position.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said key-receiving member has in addition to the said primary predetermined position in which the key is insertable therein and removable therefrom, a second position in which said key-receiving member will dwell in the absence of external force thereon to move it from the second position, and a third position in which the key-receiving member may be maintained only upon sustained application of external force.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, and including a pair of electric switches operable by one of said movable control members, one switch being closed only when the key is fully inserted into the key-receiving member and said key-receiving member is in said primary predetermined position, and the other switch being closed only when said key is in said key-receiving member and said key-receiving member is in a position other than said primary predetermined position, and both switches being open when the key is removed from or not fully inserted into said key-receiving member.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, and including an electric switch operable by a control member movable by said key-receiving member to close transiently a circuit in which said switch is connected when said key-receiving member is maintained in the said third position by application of an external force.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said key-retaining means comprises a movable latch member engagable mechanically with the key in the key-receiving member, and electric motor means connected to the latch means for movement thereof upon receipt of an electric signal.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein movement of said movable latch member to a disengaged position in which it is disengaged mechanically from the key permits movement of the movable control member to a blocking position in which it prevents return of said latch member to the key-retaining position until it is positively moved from the said blocking position.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, and including means inhibiting the key-retaining signal to said electric motor means if the key is removed from or not fully inserted into said key-receiving member or if the key is fully inserted into said key-receiving member and said key-receiving member is in any position other than said primary predetermined position.

13. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, and including spring means for positively retaining the movable latch member in the key-retaining position or in the key-disengaged position in the absence of an electric signal to said electric motor means.

14. A key-receiving lock assembly for use with apparatus and for controlling at least part of the apparatus by means thereof when the key is present in the assembly, the assembly including a key-receiving member having a primary predetermined position in which the key is insertable therein and removable therefrom and said key-receiving member having at least one other secondary predetermined position in which the apparatus is inoperable by the lock and in which said secondary predetermined position the key is not insertable into or removable from the key-receiving member and into which said secondary predetermined position the key-receiving member may be moved only when the key is in the key-receiving member, and including at least one control member movable when the key is in the key-receiving member, key-receiving member securing means operable from a point remote from the lock assembly for securing said key-receiving member against movement out of said secondary predetermined position, and said key-receiving member securing means preventing movement of said at least one movable control member when said key-receiving member is secured against movement out of said secondary predetermined position.

15. An assembly as claImed in claim 14, and including key-receiving member releasing means operable remotely of the assembly for releasing the key-receiving member for movement to positions other than said secondary predetermined position when the key is in the key-receiving member, and for releasing the key for removal from and insertion into said key-receiving member when said key-receiving member is moved into said primary predetermined position, and said key-receiving member releasing means permitting movement of said at least one movable control member when said key is in said key-receiving member and when said key-receiving member is released to permit movement out of said secondary predetermined position.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the key-receiving member securing means, when released to permit movement of the key-receiving member to positions other than said secondary predetermined position, and when released to permit removal of the key from said key-receiving member when said key-receiving member is moved into said primary predetermined position, and when released to permit movement of the said at least one movable control member, permits repeated insertion and removal of said key when said key-receiving member is in said primary predetermined position and permits repeated movement of said key-receiving member to and from positions other than said primary and secondary predetermined positions when said key is in said key-receiving member, and therefore permits repeated and exclusive operational access to the apparatus controlled by the lock assembly by the use of said key until the key-receiving member is once again secured by said remotely operable key-receiving member securing means against movement out of said secondary predetermined position, whereby the key is secured against removal from the key-receiving member and whereby the said at least one movable control member is secured against movement by said key or by said key-receiving member.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 16, and including disconnectable connecting means between said lock assembly and said means operable remotely of said lock assembly whereby said apparatus controlled by said lock assembly may be disconnected from the remote control means subsequent to release of said key-receiving member and said repeated and exclusive operational access to the apparatus controlled by the lock assembly is thereafter independent of connection to said remotely operable means or location of said lock assembly and said apparatus relative to said remotely operable means.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, and including means positively preventing movement of the key-receiving member securing means into the key-receiving member securing position when the key-receiving member is in any position other than the said secondary predetermined position or when the key is removed from or not fully inserted into said key-receiving member.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, and including means for providing an indication at the remote operating point upon an attempt to secure the key-receiving member against movement out of said secondary predetermined position when the said key-receiving member is in any position other than said secondary predetermined position or when said key is removed from or not fully inserted into said key-receiving member.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said key-receiving member, in addition to the said primary predetermined position in which the key is insertable therein and removable therefrom, and in addition to the said secondary predetermined position into which the key-receiving member may be secured against movement out of said secondary predetermined position, has a third position in which said key-receiving member will dwell in the absence of external force thereon to move it from the third position, and a fourth position in which the key-receiving member may be maintained only upon sustained application of external force.

21. An assembly as claimed In claim 20, and including a pair of electric switches constituted in part by and operable by said at least one movable control member, one switch being closed only when said key-receiving member is in said secondary predetermined position and the other switch being closed only when said key-receiving member is in a position other than said primary or secondary predetermined position, and both switches being open when said key-receiving member is in said primary predetermined position.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 20, and including an electric switch constituted in part by and operable by said at least one movable control member to close transiently a circuit in which said switch is connected when said key-receiving member is maintained in the said fourth position by application of external force.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the said key-receiving member securing means comprises a movable member engageable mechanically with the key-receiving member, and electric motor means connected to the movable member means for movement thereof upon receipt of an electric signal.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 23, wherein movement of said movable member to a disengaged position in which it is disengaged mechanically from the key-receiving member permits movement of the key-receiving member to a blocking position in which it positively prevents return of said movable member to the key-receiving member securing position.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 23, and including means inhibiting the key-receiving member securing signal to said electric motor means when said key-receiving member is in any position other than the said secondary predetermined position.

26. An assembly as claimed in claim 23, and including detenting means for positively retaining the said movable member in the key-receiving member securing position or in the key-receiving member release position in the absence of an electric signal to said electric motor means.

27. Apparatus with key-receiving lock controlled access comprising, a lock connected to the apparatus and having a predetermined position for the key in only which position said key can be removed from the lock, a control member controlled by the lock and operable by the lock with the key therein to control a function of the apparatus, and the lock including means operable from a point remote therefrom upon receipt of respective signals for selectively securing the key against withdrawal from the lock and for releasing the key for removal from the lock.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, and including means for preventing operation of the control member when the key is secured within the lock by said remotely operable means and permitting operation of said control member when the key is released by said remotely operable means.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, and including means for permitting repeated insertion and removal of the key and permitting repeated and exclusive access to the apparatus controlled by the lock when the key has been released by said remotely operable means and until the key is once again secured by the said remotely operable means against withdrawal from the lock.

30. Apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said repeated insertion and removal of the key and said repeated and exclusive access to the apparatus controlled by the lock is independent of connection to said remotely operable means and is independent of the location of said apparatus relative to said remotely operable means.

31. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the said control member is an electric switch controlling an operation of the apparatus.

32. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the lock includes means for preventing movement of the key-securing means into the key-securing position if the key is removed from or not fully inserted into the lock or if the key is fully inserted into the lock and the lock is in any position other than that position in which the key is securable wIthin the lock.

33. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, and including means inhibiting the key-securing signal to the key-securing means if the key is removed from or not fully inserted into the lock or if the key is fully inserted into the lock and the lock is in any position other than that position in which the key is securable within the lock.

34. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, and including at least one other lock operable by the key of the first mentioned lock when said key has been released by and removed from said first mentioned lock.

35. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein there are provided means for releasably connecting the apparatus to a remote control station constituting the said remote point and the said remotely operable means are operable from said remote control station through said releasable connection.

36. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the remote control station includes means operable to release and secure the key.

37. Apparatus as claimed in claim 36, wherein said means operable to release and secure the key comprise operator controlled means.

38. Apparatus as claimed in claim 36, wherein said means operable to release and secure the key comprise an identity card reader.

39. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the said releasable connection is an electrical connection and the said remotely operable means comprise an electric circuit.

40. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, and including means indicating at the said remote control station the key-released and key-secured status of the lock.

41. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the remote control station includes means detecting the absence of the key from or the incomplete insertion of the key into the lock, or the positioning of the lock in any position other than that in which the key is securable within the lock, said detecting means being operable at the time of and subsequent to an attempt being made to secure the key within the lock.

42. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the remote control station includes means detecting failure to reconnect the said releasable connection prior to action being taken to secure the key within the lock.

43. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the remote control station includes means detecting disconnection of said releasable connection or other severance of the electrical connection without prior release of the key by said remote control station.

44. Apparatus as claimed in claimm 43, wherein the remote control station includes means inactivating said disconnection detection means upon and subsequent to release of the key.