Electric locker apparatus with emergency unlocking

• US 5,172,970 A
• Filed: 04/02/1991
• Issued: 12/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cleanup Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cleanup Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Keizo, Momose, Yoshinori, Kujiraoka, Masahisa, Sato, Hiroshi, Takagi, Masanori, Watabe, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Falk, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US07/679,307
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 312/219, 312/220, 312/107.5, 292/201, 292/18, 70/279, 70/84
• US Class Current: 312/329
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0054 using microprocessor, printed circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0086 Emergency release, e.g. key or electromagnet E05B63/0073 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0603 the detent moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/24 in the form of a bifurcated member automatic catches with a bifurcated latch E05C19/024; locks with a bifurcated bolt E05B65/0046, E05B85/243
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 9/026 comprising key-operated locks, e.g. a lock cylinder to drive auxiliary deadbolts or latch bolts E05C9/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00674 with switch-buttons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5124 Swinging and hooked end

Abstract

An electric locker apparatus with a plurality of locker boxes each having an electric lock device including a latch member normally maintained by a stopper member in a lock position in engagement with the door of the box, and biased toward an unlock position wherein the door can be opened, and an actuator responsive to electric command signal, with an output member movable into an operative position for allowing the latch member to be released from the stopper member and moved into the unlock position. The apparatus further includes an emergency unlocking device for forcibly moving the output member of the actuator into the operative position without requiring input of the command signal. The unlocking device has an emergent key cylinder into which an emergent key can be inserted from outside. The angular motion of the key is converted into a linear motion of the output member of the actuator toward the operative position.

Claims

1. An electric locker apparatus comprising:

A) a base frame member;

B) a plurality of rows of locker boxes mounted on the base frame member, each row including at least two locker boxes which are vertically aligned with each other, and each locker box having a door and an interior space which is accessible from outside when the door is opened;

C) electric lock devices associated with respective locker boxes, each lock device being arranged in the interior space of the relevant locker box near the door and including

(i) a latch member normally maintained by a stopper member in a lock position in engagement with the door, and movable into and normally biased toward an unlock position for allowing the door to be disengaged from the latch member and thereby opened, and

(ii) an actuator operative in response to an electric command signal and having an output member which is movable into a predetermined operative position for allowing the latch member to be released from the stopper member and moved into said unlock position;

D) an electric control unit for normally controlling the operation of the lock device of a selected locker box by providing said command signal to the actuator of the relevant locker box, said control unit including

(i) a console box which is vertically aligned with the locker boxes of selected ones of said rows,

(ii) a keyboard arranged on a front panel of the console box so that a user can operate the control unit for actuating the lock device of a locker box, and

(iii) at least one component which is accommodated inside of said console box and accessible from outside by using a predetermined master key; and

E) a plurality of emergency unlocking devices arranged in said base frame member and associated with said rows of the locker boxes, respectively, for forcibly opening the doors of the relevant locker boxes without requiring said command signal, said unlocking devices each including

(i) an emergent key cylinder into which said master key can be inserted from outside, and

(ii) a mechanical motion conversion means for converting an angular motion of said master key into a linear motion of the output members of the actuators of the relevant locker boxes toward the respective operative positions.

2. The locker apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said emergency unlocking device further includes a rod which is connected to said mechanical motion conversion means and linearly movable in its longitudinal direction so as to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the output members of the relevant actuators.

3. The locker apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said emergency unlocking device further includes a rod which is connected to said mechanical motion conversion means and linearly movable in its longitudinal direction so as to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the relevant stopper members.

4. The locker apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base frame member has a protective wall formed with openings in front of the respective emergent key cylinders for said rows of the locker boxes, each opening being normally closed by a cap member which can be readily removed from the protective wall without a specific tool.

5. The locker apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said cap member can be removed from the protective wall by using a coin.