Dual-use lock whose unlocking numeral combination can be traced after having been forgotten

• US 6,799,445 B1
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jaeyou Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Jaeyou Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsai, Cheng-Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US10/720,207
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 70/26, 70/30, 70/49, 702/87, 702/85, 703/12, 704/46, 703/15--18, 703/31, 704/65, 70D/IG.63, 70D/IG.71
• US Class Current: 70/30
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0031 Locks with both permutation and key actuation E05B17/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0058 by axial disengagement between hub and rim of tumbler discs or rings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/025 in padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/435 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/483 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7147 Combination or key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7305 Manually operable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8405 Combination finders

Abstract

A dual-use lock includes a toothed male member, a female member, a spindle for connecting the male member to the female member, several dials around the spindle, and an auxiliary lock; each dial has numerals thereon, and has a dish turnable together with it; the male member can separate from the spindle when the dials are turned to unlocking orientation, but it can'"'"'t after the dials are turned away from the unlocking orientation; the auxiliary lock is fitted to the female member for releaseably securing the spindle to the female member, and can be operated with a key; thus, an object locked with the dual-use lock can be released even if unlocking combination of the dials has been forgotten; the tooth dishes are made such that the combination can be traced with the help of a probe after separation of the spindle from the female member.

Claims

1. A dual-use lock whose unlocking numeral combination can be traced after having been forgotten, comprising

a male member securely connected with one end of a cable;

the male member having spaced teeth along a rod portion thereof;

a female member securely connected with other end of the cable;

a spindle for allowing insertion of the rod portion of the male member therein;

the spindle being inserted in the female member at a tail end thereof;

a plurality of dial assemblies arranged around the spindle;

each dial assembly including both a dial with numerals thereon, and a tooth dish releaseably engaging the dial to be capable of turning together with the dial;

the tooth dishes each having a gap on an inward edge;

the gaps of the tooth dishes together being capable of forming a passage for allowing separation of the male member from the spindle when the dials are turned to an unlocking orientation;

the tooth dishes being capable of stopping the teeth of the male member to prevent separation of the male member from the spindle when the dials are turned away from the unlocking orientation; and

an auxiliary lock member fitted to the female member for releaseably securing the spindle to the female member, thereby being operable with a key thereof to become unlocked for both the male member and the spindle together to become separable from the female member while the male member is secured to the spindle by the tooth dishes;

the auxiliary lock member having a recess, and an engaging portion next to the recess;

the auxiliary lock member detaining the spindle when the engaging portion thereof is fitted in a securing recess of the tail end of the spindle;

the auxiliary lock member releasing the spindle when the recess thereof opposes the securing recess of the tail end of the spindle.

2. The dual-use lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein a protecting cap is securely disposed around the tail end of the spindle;

the protecting cap having a gap, which will be aligned with the gaps of the tooth dishes when the dials are turned to the unlocking orientation, thereby allowing one to trace an unlocking numeral combination of the dials by means of managing to pass a probe from the gap of the protecting cap through all of the gaps of the tooth dishes one by one while turning the dials after the spindle has been separated from the female member for the gap of the protecting cap to show.