Buckle lock with lock indicating window

• US 7,104,095 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fu Chuan Lin
• Original Assignee: Fu Chuan Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Fu Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne Dino
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US11/317,740
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 70/21, 70/58, 702/84, 702/85, 70D/IG.63
• US Class Current: 70/58
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2573 Locking means preventing an unauthorised opening, e.g. by children
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 35/105 Locks allowing opening by official authorities, e.g. master key opening of luggage locks by customs officials
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0034 actuated by either
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/025 in padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0065 Operating modes; Transformable to different operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/5284 in which a movable latch is passed through a staple loop similar fasteners for buckles A44B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 70/63 Multiple locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7147 Combination or key

Abstract

A buckle lock includes a casing, a lever on the casing and including two front bottom legs and a rear button, a tumbler wheel assembly including a spring biased shaft having a rear slope, a sliding block in the chamber and having a transverse passage, a key turning assembly including an inward protrusion and a key shaft, a sliding member on the key shaft and including a wedge, an opposite projecting bar, and a top mark aligned with the window when the key turning assembly is operable, and a tongue. Turning the dials to a correct combination and pressing the button will enable a manipulation of the wedge for sliding the sliding member toward the sliding block until the sliding block is blocked by the engaged projecting bar and the mark is misaligned with the window, thereby visually informing a person that the key turning assembly is disabled.

Claims

1. A buckle lock comprising:

a casing including a central channel, a forward opening in communication with the channel, an intermediate tunnel in communication with the channel, and a rear chamber in communication with the channel through the tunnel, the chamber including a slot aligned with the tunnel and being in communication with the channel;

a lever fitted on the channel and including two front bottom legs and a rear button on its top;

a tumbler wheel assembly including a plurality of rotatable dials and a spring biased shaft passed through the dials, the shaft including a rear slope acting as a trigger;

a sliding block disposed in the chamber and including a front wedge fitted in the tunnel and a transverse passage;

a key turning assembly disposed in the chamber and including a keyhole and an inward protrusion having a cam section disposed in the passage;

a cover fitted on the chamber; and

a tongue including a rear tongue plate having a shoulder wherein in a closed position of the buckle lock, the tongue plate is inserted into the opening with the legs lockingly engaged with the shoulder;

whereby

turning the dials until a correct combination is shown will enable the shaft to move axially to disengage with the wedge for unlocking the lever such that pressing the button will disengage the legs with the shoulder and pulling the tongue out of the casing will unlock the buckle lock; and

inserting a key into the keyhole to turn the key turning assembly about 180 degrees will move the sliding block rearward to partially dispose in the slot for disengaging the trigger with the wedge for unlocking the lever such that pressing the button will disengage the legs with the shoulder and pulling the tongue out of the casing will unlock the buckle lock.

2. A buckle lock comprising:

a casing including a top window, a central channel, a forward opening in communication with the channel, an intermediate tunnel in communication with the channel, and a rear chamber in communication with the channel through the tunnel, the chamber including a slot aligned with the tunnel and being in communication with the channel;

a lever fitted on the channel and including two front bottom legs and a rear button on its top;

a tumbler wheel assembly including a plurality of rotatable dials and a spring biased shaft passed through the dials, the shaft including a rear slope acting as a trigger;

a sliding block disposed in the chamber and including a front wedge fitted in the tunnel and a transverse passage;

a key turning assembly disposed in the chamber and including a keyhole, an inward protrusion having a cam section disposed in the passage, and a key shaft extended inwardly from the protrusion;

a sliding member slidably mounted on the key shaft and including a wedge-shaped element at one side in communication with the channel, a projecting bar at the other side, and a top mark aligned with the window when the key turning assembly is adapted to operate;

a cover fitted on the chamber; and

a tongue including a rear tongue plate having a shoulder wherein in a closed position of the buckle lock, the tongue plate is inserted into the opening with the legs lockingly engaged with the shoulder;

whereby

turning the dials until a correct combination is shown will enable the shaft to move axially to disengage with the wedge for unlocking the lever such that pressing the button will disengage the legs with the shoulder and pulling the tongue out of the casing will unlock the buckle lock;

inserting a key into the keyhole to turn the key turning assembly about 180 degrees will move the sliding block rearward to partially dispose in the slot for disengaging the trigger with the wedge for unlocking the lever such that pressing the button will disengage the legs with the shoulder and pulling the tongue out of the casing will unlock the buckle lock; and

turning the dials until a correct combination is shown and pressing the button will enable a manipulation of the wedge-shaped element for sliding the sliding member along the key shaft toward the sliding block until being stopped with the sliding block being blocked by the engaged projecting bar and the mark being misaligned with the window, thereby visually informing a person that inserting the key into the key turning assembly for opening the buckle lock is not possible after releasing the button.