Intermittent supply control device for electric appliances of in particular a hotel room

• US 4,758,697 A
• Filed: 03/30/1987
• Issued: 07/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siproc - Societe Internationale de Promotion Commerciale
• Original Assignee: Societe Internationale de Promotion Commerciale
• Inventors: Jeuneu, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US07/031,184
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 200/42.01, 200/42.02, 200/43.01, 200/43.02, 200/43.04-43.07, 200/43.11, 200/61.64, 200/61.67, 200/61.68, 200/61.93, 70/134, 70/156, 70/142, 70/143, 292/159, 292/160, 292/172, 292/142, 340/542
• US Class Current: 200/61.64
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 27/00 Switches operated by a removable member, e.g. key, plug or plate; Switches operated by setting members according to a single predetermined combination out of several possible settings combined with plug-and-socket connectors H01R13/70; with current-carrying plug H01R31/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/50 Special application

Abstract

A device for controlling the selective switching on and off of the supply of current to an electric appliance of a premises, particularly a hotel room, includes a door lock having a bolt and a keeper to be mounted in a door and a door frame of an entrance to the premises such that the bolt is movable between first and second locked positions extending into the keeper and an unlocked position withdrawn from the keeper. An electric circuit connects a source of electric current to the electric appliance, and the circuit includes a switch normally closed to allow current to be supplied from the source to the appliance and operable to be opened to interrupt the supply of current from the source to the appliance. The switch is disposed in the keeper. The door lock includes first key-actuated structure, operable only from the exterior of the door, for moving the bolt between the unlocked position and the first locked position, whereat the bolt extends into the keeper by an amount sufficient to open the switch and thereby interrupt the supply of current from the source to the appliance. The door lock additionally includes second key-actuated structure, operable only from the interior of the door, for moving the bolt between the unlocked position and the second locked position, whereat the bolt extends into the keeper by an amount sufficient to lock the door lock but insufficient to open the switch, such that the switch remains closed and current remains supplied from the source to the appliance.

Claims

1. A device for controlling the selective switching on and off of supply of current to an electric appliance of a premises, in particular a hotel room, said device comprising:

a door lock including a bolt and a keeper to be mounted in a door and a door frame of an entrance to the premises such that said bolt is movable between first and second locked positions extending into said keeper and an unlocked position withdrawn from said keeper;

an electric circuit to connect a source of electric current to the electric appliance, said circuit including a switch normally closed to allow current to be supplied from the source to the appliance and operable to be opened to interrupt the supply of current from the source to the appliance, said switch being disposed in said keeper;

said door lock including first key-actuated means, operable only from a first side of said door lock corresponding to an exterior side of the door, for moving said bolt between said unlocked position and said first locked position, whereat said bolt extends into said keeper by an amount sufficient to open said switch and thereby interrupt the supply of current from the source to the appliance; and

said door lock including second key-actuated means, operable only from a second side of said door lock corresponding to an interior side of the door, for moving said bolt between said unlocked position and said second locked position, whereat said bolt extends into said keeper by an amount sufficient to lock said door lock but insufficient to open said switch, such that said switch remains closed and current remains supplied from the source to the appliance.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a push-button switch.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first key-actuated means comprises a first rack on said bolt, a first key cylinder extending from said first side of said door lock toward said bolt, and a first pinion meshing with said first rack and connected to said first key cylinder to be rotated upon key actuation thereof to thereby move said bolt between said unlocked and first locked positions, and said second key-actuated means comprises a second rack on said bolt, a second key cylinder extending from said second side of said door lock toward said bolt, and a second pinion meshing with said second rack and connected to said second key cylinder to be rotated upon key actuation thereof to thereby move said bolt between said unlocked and said second locked positions.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second pinion is of smaller diameter than said first pinion.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a magnetically controlled switch, and said bolt has on an end thereof directed toward said switch an actuating magnet.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second switch mounted within said first key-actuated means and forming part of another electric circuit to connect the current source to at least one appliance of the premises, the insertion of a normal key into said first key-actuated means being incapable of actuating said second switch, but said second switch being actuated by the insertion into said first key-operated means of a special key.