Locking device for washers and dryers

• US 4,958,867 A
• Filed: 01/31/1990
• Issued: 09/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Phillip A. Champagne
• Original Assignee: Phillip A. Champagne
• Inventors: Champagne, Phillip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US07/473,021
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 292/258, 292/259, 292/278, 292/288, 292/339, 292/DIG. 69, 292/267, 292/270, 292/274, 292/303, 292/304
• US Class Current: 292/259.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/42 Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/003 Locking bars, cross bars, security bars for sliding wings E05B65/0888; for a plurality of drawers E05B65/467
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/69 Washing machine or stove closure latch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/228 Portable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/23 Cross bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/438 Spring-arm catch

Abstract

A washer/dryer lock device (10) to be used in both front loading (101) and top loading (102) machines, wherein the device comprises a sleeve member (14) dimensioned to receive a toothed shaft member (18) and an over-center spring biased lock unit (13) attached to the sleeve member (14) and adapted to releasably engage the shaft member (18) such that a flange element (15) on the sleeve member (14) and a friction pad element (21) on the shaft member (18) can engage opposed surfaces on a machine (101) (102) so as to prevent the machine door (100) from being opened.

Claims

1. A washer and dryer lock device for use with both front and top loading washers and dryers having a hinged door wherein the lock device comprises:

a sleeve unit including an elongated hollow sleeve member having a downwardly depending flange element formed on one end and a catch element formed on top of the sleeve member at a location proximate to but spaced from the other end of the sleeve member;

a shaft unit including an elongated toothed shaft member having one end dimensioned to be received in the hollow sleeve member and further provided with a downwardly depending friction pad element secured to the other end of the shaft member; and

a lock unit operatively attached to the sleeve unit and provided with a pivoted latch member having a pair of spring elements operatively engaged on one end to the latch member and attached on their other end to a latch rod wherein the latch rod is dimensioned to be releasably received by the toothed shaft member.

2. The lock device as in claim 1 wherein the latch member is adapted to operatively engage the said catch element.

3. The lock device as in claim 2 further comprising:

lock means for captively securing said pivoted latch member to said catch element.

4. The lock device as in claim 3 wherein said latch member comprises:

a base operatively secured to said sleeve member; and

a latch arm pivotally secured to said base.

5. The lock device as in claim 4 wherein said latch arm is provided with an elongated aperture on a free end which is dimensioned to receive said catch element;

the catch element is provided with a discrete aperture and the lock means comprises a padlock which is dimensioned to be received in said discrete aperture.

6. The lock device as in claim 3 wherein said lock means comprises a sliding bolt lock.

7. The lock device as in claim 6 wherein said lock means and said catch element are combined in the same structure.

8. The lock device as in claim 4 wherein said spring elements are operatively secured to the latch arm of said latch member in an over-center relationship.