Cable lock

• US 4,075,878 A
• Filed: 06/10/1976
• Issued: 02/28/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walter E. Best
• Original Assignee: Walter E. Best
• Inventors: Best, Walter E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/694,685
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 70/14, 70/15, 70/18, 70/30, 70/49, 70/369
• US Class Current: 70/49
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/003 Chain, wire or cable locks alarms therefor E05B45/005; E05B69/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/483 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/765 Key only controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7661 Detachable or removable cylinder

Abstract

A cable lock has a key-removable core of figure-8 shape mounted in a two-lobe axial chamber at one end of a lock body. The key plug of the core drives a rotary bolt mounted in a blind extension of one chamber lobe. The bolt releasably locks one cable end member inserted in a blind axial bore at the other end of the body, which bore is parallel with and overlaps the extension and lies opposite the second lobe of the core chamber. The other end member of the cable is inserted in a transverse blind bore located axially between the second chamber lobe and the axial cable-receiving bore, and is secured by a retaining pin inserted through the core chamber and concealed by the core in such chamber. In one modification, insertion of the releasable cable end member requires key actuation of the core. In a second modification, the rotary bolt has a rotatable cam head biased to locking position but formed with a cam surface so arranged that the head is rotated to a cable-receiving position when the releasable cable end member is thrust against it in the cable-receiving bore.

Claims

1. A cable lock, comprising a lock body, a core chamber formed at one end of said body for receiving a lock core having a key-actuated key plug and a tumbler pin housing projecting radially of said key plug, said chamber having a first portion adapted to contain the key plug of the core and a side portion to contain the pin tumbler housing, a bore extending inward beyond said chamber and a rotary bolt mounted therein in coaxial relation with the key-plug of the core and connected for operation by such key plug, an axial first cable-receiving bore extending inward from the opposite end of the body in parallel overlapping relation with said bolt-receiving bore and in general axial alignment with said chamber side portion, for receiving a cable end member, a second cable-receiving bore formed in said body transversely of and generally coplanar with and axially between said side portion and said first cable-receiving bore, a cable having a first end member thereon secured in said second cable-receiving bore and a second end member on said cable formed for releasable engagement in said axial first cable-receiving bore, said releasable end member and bolt being shaped for interlocking engagement, the bolt having a normal locked position in which it locks such end member in the body and having a key-actuated release position in which it releases such end member for withdrawal from the body.

2. A lock body as in claim 1 in which said first cable end member is secured in said transverse second cable-receiving bore by means of a retainer inserted by way of the core chamber and through the end wall of said side portion in position to be covered and concealed by a core in said chamber.

3. A cable lock as in claim 2 in which said core chamber is formed to receive a key-removable core, in combination with a key-removable core mounted in said chamber and concealing and blocking access to said retainer.

4. A cable lock as in claim 2 in which said first cable end member has a circumferential groove formed therein, and said retaining means is engaged in said groove so as to prevent axial removal of the cable end member from said transverse bore but permit rotation of such member and the cable with respect to the bore.

7. A cable lock as in claim 2 in which said rotary bolt has a circumferential groove intermediate its ends, and the cable end member in said transverse bore includes a stud extending into the groove of the bolt to secure the bolt against axial displacement.

8. A cable lock as in claim 1 in which said releasable cable end member is formed with a circumferential groove and a cable head therebeyond, said bolt is formed with a circumferential groove and a keeper head therebeyond, said end member and bolt in locked position being disposed in parallel overlapping position with the head of each in the groove of the other, said keeper head having an axial side channel therein which moves into alignment with the axial cable-receiving bore upon rotation of the bolt to release position so as to release the releasable end member.

5. A cable lock, comprising a lock body, a core chamber formed at one end of the body for receiving a key-removable core, said chamber being of figure-8 cross-section formed of a key-plug-receiving bore and a side bore parallel with and overlapping said plug-receiving bore, a bolt-receiving bore coaxial with and extending inward beyond said plug-receiving bore, a first cable-receiving bore substantially in axial alignment with said chamber side bore, spaced axially therefrom, and in parallel intersecting relation with said bolt-receiving bore, a second cable-receiving bore disposed transversely of, generally coplanar with, and axially between said chamber side bore and said first cable-receiving bore, a rotary bolt in said bolt-receiving bore arranged for rotary operation by key-actuation of said key plug, a cable having one end fixed in said transverse second cable-receiving bore and having a cable end member at its opposite end receivable in said first cable-receiving bore, said bolt and cable end member being shaped for interlocking engagement, the bolt having a normal locked position in which it locks such end member in the body and a key-actuated release position in which it releases such end member for withdrawal from the body.

6. A cable lock as in claim 5 in which said one cable end is fixed in an end member having a circumferential groove formed therein, and retaining means is inserted by way of the core chamber through the end wall thereof and engaged in said groove so as to prevent axial removal of the cable end member from said transverse bore but permit rotation of such member and the cable with respect to the bore.

9. A cable lock comprising a lock body, a core chamber formed at one end of said body for receiving a lock core having a key-actuated key plug, a bore extending inward beyond said chamber and a rotary bolt mounted therein in coaxial relation with the key-plug of the core and connected for operation by such key plug, an axial first cable-receiving bore extending inward from the opposite end of the body in parallel overlapping relation with said bolt-receiving bore, for receiving a cable end member, a second cable-receiving bore formed in said body, a cable having a first end member thereon secured in said second cable-receiving bore and a second end member on said cable formed for releasable engagement in said axial first cable-receiving bore, said releasable end member and bolt being shaped for interlocking engagement, the bolt having a normal locked position in which it locks such end member in the body and having a key-actuated release position in which it releases such end member for withdrawal from the body, said bolt comprising a body part connected for key-actuation rotation between a locking position and a release position, and a head part mounted for limited rotation relative to said body part, and having a keeper head formed with a side channel which is normally disposed out of alignment with said axial cable-receiving bore, and said releasable cable end member has a cable head at the end thereof axially engageable behind the keeper head of the bolt so as to lock the end member in the lock body, a cam face on said bolt head part positioned and arranged to be engaged by the cable head of said releasable cable end member when the same is thrust endwise into said axial cable-receiving bore and by reaction to such thrust to rotate said keeper head to bring its side channel into alignment with such bore so as to pass the cable head to a position behind the keeper head, and biasing means for rotatably returning said keeper head to a cable locking position when said cable head has passed the keeper head.

10. A cable lock, comprising a lock body, a core chamber formed at one end of said body for receiving a lock core having a key-actuated key-plug, a bore extending inward beyond said chamber and a rotary bolt mounted therein in coaxial relation with the key-plug of the core and connected for operation by such key plug, an axial first cable-receiving bore extending inward from the opposite end of the body in parallel overlapping relation with said bolt-receiving bore, for receiving a cable end member, a second cable-receiving bore formed in said body, a cable having a first end member thereon secured in said second cable-receiving bore and a second end member on said cable formed for releasable engagement in said axial first cable-receiving bore, said releasable end member and bolt being shaped for interlocking engagement, the bolt having a normal locked position in which it locks such end member in the body and having a key-actuated release position in which it releases such end member for withdrawal from the body, wherein said releasable cable end member is formed with a circumferential groove and a cable head therebeyond, said bolt is formed with a circumferential groove and a keeper head therebeyond, said end member and bolt in locked position being disposed in parallel overlapping position with the head of each in the groove of the other, said keeper head having an axial side channel therein which moves into alignment with the axial cable-receiving bore upon rotation of the bolt to release position so as to release the releasable end member, and in which said bolt is connected for rotation between locking position and release position by key operation of a lock core in said lock chamber, and said keeper head is rotatable therebetween independently of key rotation, means biasing the keeper head against such independent rotation, and a cam face on said keeper head positioned and arranged to be engaged by the releasable cable end member when the same is thrust endwise into said axial cable-receiving bore and by reaction to such thrust to rotate against such biasing means to a position to pass said cable end member to locked position.

11. A lock, comprising a lock body, a rotary bolt mounted for rotation on its axis in said body, and having a keeper head at its end, key-actuated means in said body for rotating said bolt, a shackle-receiving bore in parallel overlapping relation with the rotary bolt, a shackle member having a head at its end, said member being axially insertable in said shackle-receiving bore to a locked position in which its head lies behind the keeper head of the bolt, said bolt having a locking position in which its keeper head blocks retraction of the shackle head from said bore and having a side channel movable by key-actuated rotation of the bolt to a release position in which the channel is aligned with the shackle-receiving bore to release the shackle member for retraction, said keeper head being rotatable from locking position to release position independently of key actuation, means biasing said keeper head against such independent rotation, and a cam face on said keeper head positioned and arranged to be engaged by the shackle member when the same is thrust endwise into said cable-receiving bore, and by reaction to such thrust to rotate the head against such biasing means to a position to pass said shackle member to locked position.

12. A lock as in claim 11 in which said cam face lies in a plane containing a radius from the axis of the keeper head and disposed at a cam angle to such axis.

13. A lock as in claim 11 in which said cam face is formed by a flat planar cut across the generally cylindrical head, at a cam angle to the axis thereof.

14. A lock as in claim 11 in which said bolt comprises a body part connected for rotation by said key-actuated means, means mounting the keeper head rotatably and coaxially with respect to the body part, means limiting rotation of the head in one direction relative to the body part, and a coil spring biasing the head for rotation in such direction and resiliently opposing rotation in the opposite direction, said cam face on the head being positioned to cause head rotation in said opposite direction in response to thrust against such face by said shackle member.

15. A lock as in claim 14 in which said mounting means includes a stem extending between said body part and keeper head for supporting the same in coaxial and rotatable relation, stop pins on said body part and keeper head for preventing relative rotation in said one direction, said coil spring being mounted about said stem with its ends engaged with said stop pins.

16. A cable lock comprising a lock body having means defining a lock bore, a bolt bore and first and second cable-receiving bores, the bolt and the first cable-receiving bore both extending generally longitudinally of the axis of the lock bore, the first cable-receiving bore extending inward into the lock body, and the second cable-receiving bore extending generally transversely of the lock bore and first cable-receiving bore into the lock body;

a key actuated lock disposed in the lock bore;

a bolt disposed in the bolt bore and movable into and out of blocking relationship with the first cable-receiving bore;

means for operatively connecting the bolt to the lock for so moving the bolt by key operation of the lock; and

a cable having first and second ends, the first end adapted to be received in the first cable-receiving bore and engaged by the bolt when the bolt is in blocking relationship with the first cable-receiving bore, said bolt being a rotary bolt coaxial with the lock bore and the first cable end being formed to provide a first annular groove, the bolt having a keeper head for engaging the first annular groove for holding the first cable end in the lock body, and said keeper head having a side channel movable into alignment with the first cable-receiving bore to release the first cable end for removal from the lock body, the operative connection means between the lock and the keeper head including resilient means for urging the keeper head into engagement with the annular groove, and the bolt including a cam face disposed for engagement by the first cable end when such end is inserted into the first cable-receiving bore, said cam face in response to such engagement being operative to move the keeper head against the urging of the urging means out of blocking relationship with the first bore to allow insertion of the first cable end thereinto.

17. A cable lock comprising a lock body having a core chamber formed at one end to receive a lock core;

a lock core received therein and having a key-actuated plug;

said lock body further defining a first bolt-receiving bore which extends inward from the bottom of the chamber in coaxial relation with the lock core, a rotary bolt captured between the end of the bolt bore and the inner end of the lock core and connected by throw means for rotation by the key plug;

an axial cable-receiving bore which extends inward from the opposite end of the body in parallel overlapping relation with the bolt bore;

said lock body further including means defining a second cable-receiving bore, a cable including first and second cable end members, the second cable end member being secured in the second cable-receiving bore;

the first cable end member being provided with an annular groove which defines a head at the end of the cable, and the rotary bolt being formed with a complementary head and groove which interengage with the groove and head of the cable end member, the rotary bolt being cut away at one side and being rotatable to a release position by actuation of the key plug in which position the cut-away portion releases the first cable end member for withdrawal from the lock body, said rotary bolt comprising a bolt body part which is coupled to the key plug and a head part which is provided with a cam face and is relatively rotatable with respect to the bolt body part between a locking position and a release position, and means for biasing the head part to its locking position, said cam face being disposed for axial engagement by the first cable end member when such member is thrust into the first cable-receiving bore and being operable in response to such thrust to rotate the head part to its release position so as to permit insertion of the cable end member to a locked position in the first cable-receiving bore.

18. A cable lock, comprising a lock body, a core chamber formed at one end of said body for receiving a lock core having a key-actuated key plug, said chamber having a key-plug-containing portion and a side portion to contain a tumbler pin housing on the core, a bore extending inward beyond said chamber and a rotary bolt mounted therein in coaxial relation with the key-plug of the core and connected for operation by such key plug, an axial first cable-receiving bore extending inward from the opposite end of the body in parallel overlapping relation with said bolt-receiving bore, for receiving a cable end member, a second cable-receiving bore formed in said body on an axis transversely intersecting said bolt-receiving bore, a cable having a first end member thereon secured in said second cable-receiving bore, said bolt having a circumferential groove therein and said first end member having an extension thereon engaged in said bolt groove to secure the bolt against axial displacement, said first cable end member being secured in said second cable-receiving bore by means of a retainer inserted by way of the core chamber and in position to be covered and concealed by a core in said chamber, a second end member on said cable formed for releasable engagement in said axial first cable-receiving bore, said releasable end member and bolt being shaped for interlocking engagement, the bolt having a normal locked position in which it locks such end member in the body and having a key-actuated release position in which it releases such end member for withdrawal from the body.