Combination and key operated locks with indicators

• US 8,201,423 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastern Company The
• Original Assignee: Eastern Company The
• Inventors: Misner, Michael O., Lu, Jian-Bing
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne
• Application Number:
  US12/807,968
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 70/21, 70 25- 30, 70/38.A, 702/84, 702/85, 704/32
• US Class Current: 70/21
• 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 37/0058 by axial disengagement between hub and rim of tumbler discs or rings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/025 in padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/00 Locks giving indication of authorised or unauthorised unlocking with key identification means E05B35/001; alarm locks E05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/5261 with simultaneously operating double bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/415 Combination and/or key-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/424 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7147 Combination or key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7153 Combination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8027 Condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8459 Housings

Abstract

Locks for luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like that can be operated by setting a combination or by using a key include an indicator to provide a signal in response to use of the key. The locks retain relatively movable components in latched engagement when locked, and permit relative movement of the components when unlocked. In some embodiments, the indicator provides a visual signal if an associated travelcase has been opened for inspection by unlocking the associated lock using a key; and, in some embodiments, the indicator can be reset upon entry of a proper combination.

Claims

1. A portable travel receptacle having first and second parts releasably connectable by a lock having a first assembly on the first part and a second assembly on the second part releasable from latched engagement in a first way by using a key with the first assembly and in a second way by setting a combination with the second assembly, wherein the lock provides a signal in response to the use of a key.

2. The portable travel receptacle of claim 1 wherein the signal is a visual signal that can be reset after setting the combination.

3. The portable travel receptacle of claim 1 wherein the signal is provided by the second assembly.

4. The portable travel receptacle of claim 1 wherein the lock includes a reset member usable to reset the signal and to change the combination.

5. The portable travel receptacle of claim 1 wherein the first assembly includes a keyhole into which the key is inserted to use the key with the first assembly.

6. The portable travel receptacle of claim 5 wherein the second assembly includes at least one dial that can be turned to set the combination, and an indicator that moves to provide the signal.

7. The portable travel receptacle of claim 6 wherein a shaft that supports the dial is movable to reset the signal.

8. A portable travel receptacle that can be opened by setting a combination, having a signal surface that becomes visible once a key is used to open the receptacle, and having a reset member that can be grasped and moved to reset the signal surface when the receptacle is open.

9. The portable travel receptacle of claim 8 including a combination operated mechanism that has at least one dial turnable about a shaft to set the combination, and wherein the reset member includes the shaft.

10. The portable travel receptacle of claim 8 including a key operated assembly with which the key can be used to open the receptacle, and a separate combination operated assembly on which the combination can be set to open the receptacle, wherein the key operated assembly and the combination operated assembly latchingly engage when the receptacle is closed.

11. A portable travel receptacle lockable by first and second components that can be released from latched engagement in a first way by use of a key with a key mechanism and in a second way by setting a combination with a combination mechanism, wherein the use of the key causes a visual signal to be set that can be reset by moving a component of the combination mechanism.

12. The portable travel receptacle of claim 11 wherein the key mechanism and the combination mechanism are installed on relatively movable parts of the receptacle that can be separated to open a compartment of the receptacle when the latched engagement is released, and wherein the visual signal is provided by an indicator that moves between two positions and is releasably retained in at least one of the two positions.

13. A lock having a first assembly and a second assembly mountable on separate relatively movable hardcase structures that can be held in latched engagement by the lock and can be released from latched engagement by setting a combination on the first assembly and, alternatively, by using a key with the second assembly, and having a resettable indicator that provides a key usage responsive signal, and wherein the second assembly defines a pair of arms that can latchingly engage a latch bolt of the first assembly, wherein the arms can be oppositely pivoted between first and second positions in response to a key cylinder of the second assembly being turned by a key inserted therein.

14. The lock of claim 13 wherein portions of the arms that can latchingly engage the latch bolt are of hook shaped configuration, and the arms are biased toward a selected one of the first and second positions.

15. The lock of claim 13 wherein the latch bolt moves between a first position wherein the latch bolt is able to latchingly engage the pair of arms and a second position wherein the latch bolt is not able to latchingly engage the pair of arms, and movement of the latch bolt between said first and second positions is a result of setting and not setting the combination.

16. The lock of claim 15 wherein

the latch bolt is biased toward a selected one of said first and second positions.

17. The lock of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first and second assemblies has front unit and rear unit components that can be moved toward each other during installation of the lock on the hardcase structures to clamp hardcase structure portions therebetween.

18. A lock comprising a combination operated assembly connectable to one of two relatively movable devices and operable to unlock the lock from latching together the two devices, a key operated assembly connectable to the other of the devices and operable to unlock the lock, wherein the key operated assembly has a pair of arms that can be oppositely moved by use of a key with the key operated assembly from a position of engagement with a latch bolt of the combination operated assembly, wherein the latch bolt can be moved from the position of engagement by setting a combination, and wherein the lock has a key usage responsive indicator connected to a selected one of the combination operated assembly and the key operated assembly.

19. The lock of claim 18 wherein the indicator is connected to the combination operated assembly and can be reset by moving a component of the combination operated assembly that also can be moved to change the combination that operates the combination operated assembly.

20. A combination operable lock that provides a signal that is visible once a key has been used to release a locked condition of the lock, wherein the signal emanates from an electrically powered device.

21. The lock of claim 20 wherein the signal can be reset once a combination is set that unlocks the lock.

22. A lock having first and second housings, a key operable mechanism connected to the first housing, a combination operated mechanism connected to the second housing, a first latching element that projects from one of the first and second housings for extending into an opening defined by the other of the first and second housings to engage a second latching element carried within said other of the housings, and wherein the key operated mechanism and the combination operated mechanism each can release a latched engagement of the first and second latching elements by moving a different one of the first and second latching elements.

23. The lock of claim 22 additionally including an indicator that responds to use of a key with the key operated mechanism.

24. The lock of claim 23 wherein the first and second housings each are installed on a different one of two relatively movable components of a hardcase, and the indicator visibly alters the appearance of the lock once the latched engagement has been released by the key operated mechanism.

25. A combination operable lock having a pair of components that latchingly engage when the lock is locked, one of which can be moved by the use of a key to unlock the lock, and the other of which can be moved by setting a combination to unlock the lock, and having a reset member that can be grasped and moved to reset an indicator that provides a signal in response to the use of the key, wherein the key mechanism and the combination mechanism constitute elements of separate assemblies that disconnect when the latched engagement of the pair of components is released.

26. The lock of claim 25 wherein the indicator is carried by a selected one of the separate assemblies that also carries the combination mechanism.

27. A lock having a combination mechanism and a key mechanism each capable of moving a different component of the lock to unlock the lock, and providing a signal in response to use of a key in the key mechanism, wherein the signal can be reset by moving a reset element of the lock relative to a housing of the lock at a time when the lock is unlocked, wherein each of the different components that can be moved by the combination mechanism and the key mechanism are elements of separate assemblies that can be releasably retained in latched engagement by the lock.

28. The lock of claim 27 wherein the separate assemblies are connectible to separate hardcase structures that can be moved apart from each other, and the separate assemblies can couple the hardcase structures when in said latched engagement.

29. A combination lock installable on a hardcase to lock and unlock the hardcase and having both a combination mechanism and a key mechanism each being usable independently to unlock the hardcase, and having an indicator that visibly alters the appearance of the lock once the lock has been unlocked by the key mechanism.

30. The lock of claim 29 wherein the combination mechanism operates a first pair of members to unlock the lock, and the key mechanism operates a second pair of members to unlock the lock.

31. The lock of claim 29 wherein the indicator is carried by a selected one of the combination mechanism and the key mechanism, and a reset member movable to reset the indicator also is carried by the selected one of the combination mechanism and the key mechanism.

32. The lock of claim 29 wherein the indicator visibly alters the appearance of the lock by displaying a color that becomes visible once the lock has been unlocked by the key mechanism.