JOINT COMBINATION ACTUATED AND KEY ACTUATED PADLOCK

• US 3,823,584 A
• Filed: 08/06/1973
• Issued: 07/16/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Gill
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Gill
• Inventors: Gill, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Craig, Jr., Albert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/385,709
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 70/21,22,38A,52,284,312,326,425
• US Class Current: 70/21
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/22 Padlocks with sliding shackles, with or without rotary or pivotal movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/415 Combination and/or key-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/459 Both legs engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/489 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7384 Mounts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7966 Combination-controlled

Abstract

A principal feature of the joint combination-actuated and keyactuated padlock disclosed is that a customer can select a plurality (such as four) of a group (such as 10) of combination disks for use in the lock. The lock is sold basically in two parts: First, the main casing, including the shackle and keyoperated mechanism, having a cut-away portion. Second, a group of 10 combination disks together with a housing and spring pin means for the assembly thereof. The customer selects any four of the 10 disks to provide his own unique permutation. The customer inserts the four disks into the housing, together with the spring pin, and inserts the assembled housing into the cut-away portion of the main casing. The spring pin means engage within suitable detents within the cut-away portion, thereby retaining the assembled housing in the padlock casing. Once performed, the housing cannot be simply removed, but is permanently engaged therewithin. By setting the proper combination with the selected disks, a reciprocating member can be disengaged from a first slidable plate which covers the keyhole of the padlock. After the combination is set, and the plate moved to uncover the keyhole, the customer can insert the key into the lock. A second slidable plate engages both the toe and heel ends of the padlock shackle in the manner of a bolt. The second slidable plate is activated by the insertion of a key into the keyhole, which operates against tumblers oriented in openings in the slidable plate. Other features include a unique configuration of two arms and a torsion spring, which, when operated upon by the toe end of the shackle, causes the second slidable plate to be urged against the shackle, so that, upon closing of the shackle, the slidable plate engages therewith and locks same.

Claims

1. A joint combination and key actuated padlock comprising A. a plurality of circular disks, each having a central axial hole, each having indicia on the rim thereof, and each having a single unique hole oriented a fixed distance from the respective axial hole so that each disk is unique from another;

B. a generally rectangular housing for said disks, having slots at one face thereof for the rims of said disks to be partially exposed for manual manipulation thereof, and having at two opposite faces thereof, adjacent to said one face, a hole for alignment with said central axial holes;

C. spring pin means for engagement with said holes of said housing and said central holes of said circular disks, for holding said disks in said housing, said spring pin when retracted being flush with said two opposite faces, and said spring pin when normally extended being extended from said two opposite faces;

D. a casing for said padlock including;

1. a keyhole, and 2. a cutaway portion for receiving said housing, said cut-away portion further including detent means so oriented as to receive said spring pin means when said housing is inserted therewithin, whereby said housing, with said disks and said spring means can be easily inserted into the cut-away portion of said casing, but cannot be easily removed therefrom;

E. a slidable plate adapted to selectively block and unblock said keyhole from and for, respectively, actuation by a key;

F. first bolt means associated with said casing for engaging said slidable plate in a blocking condition comprising 1. a reciprocating bar, perpendicular to said slidable plate, for engagement and disengagement with said plate, and 2. a like plurality of pins, extending outwardly perpendicular to said bar along the length thereof in the same direction, having an upstanding lug formed at the end of the respective pin, whereby the lugs can be received by said unique holes, and whereby when said circular disks are uniquely aligned with unique indicia on their rims, the unique holes of said disks are aligned along a common axis, whereby each of said lugs can enter the corresponding unique hole so that the reciprocating bar is disengaged from said plate, G. a generally U-shaped shackle having a central axis separating the toe end thereof from the heel end thereof, and having at the toe end thereof, a cross-sectional diameter (d1), along a plane (p1) parallel to said cross-sectional diameter (d1), a short distance from said toe end, a reduced crosssectional diameter (d2), at the heel end thereof, a cross-sectional diameter (d3), and along a plane (p2) parallel to said cross-sectional diameter (d3), a short distance from said heel end, a reduced crosssectional diameter (d4), and wherein said planes (p1) and (p2) are co-extensive and are perpendicular to said central axis, and wherein (d2)<

(d1) and (d4)<

(d3);

H. second bolt means associated with said casing, for engagement with said shackle, said second bolt means having a generally flat rectangular shape and having a first opening including a circular hole having a diameter (d1) with sufficient tolerance to allow the free passage of the toe end of said shackle therethrough, and a radially extending slot having a width at least equal to the reduced cross-sectional diameter (d2), but less than the diameter (d1), so that said slot, upon engagement with said reduced cross-sectional diameter (d2), restrains movement of said shackle in a direction perpendicular to said second bolt means, a second opening including a circular hole having a diameter (d3) with sufficient tolerance to allow the free passage of the heel end of said shackle therethrough, and a radially extending slot having a width at least equal to the reduced cross-sectional diameter d4, but less than the diameter (d3), so that said slot, upon engagement with said reduced crosssectional diameter (d4), restrains movement of said shackle in a direction perpendicular to said second bolt means, and whereby the first opening slot and the second opening slot are parallel to each other and extend from their respective holes in the same direction, And a second plurality of openings oriented in a circle, each including a circular hole having a diameter (d5) and having a reduced radially extending slot having a width (d6), said second plurality of opening slots being parallel to and extending from their respective holes in a direction opposite to said same direction;

said second plurality of openings, when said second bolt means is in locking engagement with said shackle, having its circle oriented in alignment with said keyhole;

1. a plurality, corresponding in number to said second plurality, of spring biased tumblers, each of said tumblers having enlarged diametrical portions not exceeding diameter (d5), but greater than dimension (d6), and having reduced diametrical portions not exceeding diameter (d6), whereby when all of said tumblers have their reduced diametrical portions in association with said second bolt means, said second bolt means is in an unlocking condition for said shackle, and whereby when any one of said tumblers has its enlarged diametrical portion in association with said second bolt means, said second bolt means is in a locked condition for said shackle;

J. a first arm pivotally coupled to an axis of said casing, and adapted to be engaged by the toe end of said shackle when said shackle is in a closed position;

K. a second arm pivotally coupled to said casing axis, and adapted to engage an end of said bolt means; and

L. torsion spring means coupled to said casing axis, having one end thereof adapted to be engaged by said first arm and having an opposite end thereof adapted to be engaged by said second arm, so that, upon closing said shackle;

the toe end of said shackle rotates said first arm causing said second arm to be urged against said bolt means, and sliding said bolt means to restrain said shackle when said reduced cross-sectional diameters are aligned with said slots, and, so that, upon sliding said bolt means in the opposite direction, said shackle is unrestrained.

2. a like plurality of pins, extending outwardly perpendicular to said bar along the length thereof in the same direction, having an upstanding lug formed at the end of the respective pin, whereby the lugs can be received by said unique holes, and whereby when said circular disks are uniquely aligned with unique indicia on their rims, the unique holes of said disks are aligned along a common axis, whereby each of said lugs can enter the corresponding unique hole so that the reciprocating bar is disengaged from said plate, G. a generally U-shaped shackle having a central axis separating the toe end thereof from the heel end thereof, and having at the toe end thereof, a cross-sectional diameter (d1), along a plane (p1) parallel to said cross-sectional diameter (d1), a short distance from said toe end, a reduced cross-sectional diameter (d2), at the heel end thereof, a cross-sectional diameter (d3), and along a plane (p2) parallel to said cross-sectional diameter (d3), a short distance from said heel end, a reduced cross-sectional diameter (d4), and wherein said planes (p1) and (p2) are co-extensive and are perpendicular to said central axis, and wherein (d2)<

(d1) and (d4)<

(d3);

H. second bolt means associated with said casing, for engagement with said shackle, said second bolt means having a generally flat rectangular shape and having a first opening including a circular hole having a diameter (d1) with sufficient tolerance to allow the free passage of the toe end of said shackle therethrough, and a radially extending slot having a width at least equal to the reduced cross-sectional diameter (d2), but less than the diameter (d1), so that said slot, upon engagement with said reduced cross-sectional diameter (d2), restrains movement of said shackle in a direction perpendicular to said second bolt means, a second opening including a circular hole having a diameter (d3) with sufficient tolerance to allow the free passage of the heel end of said shackle therethrough, and a radially extending slot having a width at least equal to the reduced cross-sectional diameter d4, but less than the diameter (d3), so that said slot, upon engagement with said reduced cross-sectional diameter (d4), restrains movement of said shackle in a direction perpendicular to said second bolt means, and whereby the first opening slot and the second opening slot are parallel to each other and extend from their respective holes in the same direction, And a second plurality of openings oriented in a circle, each including a circular hole having a diameter (d5) and having a reduced radially extending slot having a width (d6), said second plurality of opening slots being parallel to and extending from their respective holes in a direction opposite to said same direction;

said second plurality of openings, when said second bolt means is in locking engagement with said shackle, having its circle oriented in alignment with said keyhole;

3. a second arm pivotally coupled to said casing axis, and adapted to engage an end of said bolt means;

4. torsion spring means coupled to said casing axis, having one end thereof adapted to be engaged by said first arm and having an opposite end thereof adapted to be engaged by said second arm, so that, upon closing said shackle:

the toe end of said shackle rotates said first arm causing said second arm to be urged against said bolt means, and sliding said bolt means to restrain said shackle when said reduced cross-sectional diameters are aligned with said slots, and, so that, upon sliding said bolt means in the opposite direction, said shackle is unrestrained; and

C tumbler means in cooperating relationship with said additional holes for locking and unlocking said padlock.

5. A combination type padlock comprising A. a plurality of circular disks, each having a central axial hole, each having indicia on the rim thereof, and each having a single unique hole oriented a fixed distance from the respective axial hole so that each disk is unique from another;

B. a generally rectangular housing for said disks, having slots at one face thereof for the rims of said disks to partially be exposed for manual manipulation thereof, and having at two opposite faces thereof, adjacent to said one face, a hole for alignment with said central axial holes;

C. spring pin means for engagement with said holes of said housing and said central holes of said circular disks, for holding said disks in said housing, said spring pin when retracted being flush with said two opposite faces, and said spring pin when normally extended being extended from said two opposite faces;

D. a casing for said padlock, including a cut-away portion for receiving said housing, said cut-away portion further including detent means so oriented as to receive said spring pin means when said housing iS inserted therewithin, whereby said housing, with said disks and said spring pin means can be easily inserted into the cut-away portion of said casing, but cannot be easily removed therefrom.

6. In combination, A. 10 circular disks, each having a central axial hole, and each having numerals from 0 through 9 designated on the rim thereof, and each having a single unique hole oriented a fixed distance from the respective axial hole so that each disk is unique from another, one disk having a unique hole associated with the numeral 2, another disk having a unique hole associated with the numeral 3, and so forth;

B. a generally rectangular housing for a limited number of selected ones of said ten disks, having slots corresponding to said limited number at one face thereof for the rims of said selected disks to be partially exposed for manual manipulations thereof;

C. means for retaining said selected disks within said housing so that said selected disks are rotatable about a common axis;

D. padlock casing means adapted to receive said housing so that said slots and the exposed rims of said limited number of disks are exposed to the user, and so that said housing, when received by said casing means, is flush with said casing means.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 6 wherein said limited number is four.