U.S. patent number 3,713,309 [Application Number 05/195,707] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-30 for key operable padlock with slidable seal for plug.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sargent & Greenleaf, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harry C. Miller.
United States Patent |
3,713,309 |
Miller |
January 30, 1973 |
KEY OPERABLE PADLOCK WITH SLIDABLE SEAL FOR PLUG
Abstract
A key operable padlock having a padlock body provided with
sockets for the legs of a U-shaped shackle, and a central bore
located between the sockets shaped to receive and removably house a
key lock plug. The bottom wall of the padlock body has a key
opening which projects into the key lock plug to operate the plug,
and the upper portion of the padlock body has an elongated slot
defining a slideway and the cover member is removably positioned.
The sides of the slideway and the cover member have alternating
tongue and groove formations which interfit with each other to
permit the cover member to slide into covering relation over the
central bore and through the region of one of the shackle legs to
the adjacent end of the padlock body, and the cover member has a
cylindrical opening which registers with the socket for one of the
shackle legs to receive that shackle leg when the cover member is
fully seated in the slideway. Interlocking means are provided to
prevent removal of the cover member unless the key lock plug is
operated in a special manner.
Inventors: |
Miller; Harry C. (Rochester,
NY) |
Assignee: |
Sargent & Greenleaf, Inc.
(Rochester, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22722446 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/195,707 |
Filed: |
November 4, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
70/38A; 70/369;
70/52; 70/417 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B
67/24 (20130101); Y10T 70/765 (20150401); Y10T
70/459 (20150401); Y10T 70/489 (20150401); Y10T
70/7921 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
E05B
67/00 (20060101); E05B 67/24 (20060101); E05b
067/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;70/38R,38A,38B,38C,39,50,51,52,367,368,369 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wolfe; Robert L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A padlock comprising a padlock casing having a bottom wall
portion, a main body portion, and an upper body portion, a U-shaped
shackle including a curved intermediate portion and a pair of
shackle legs, said casing having laterally spaced sockets opening
through said upper body portion for receiving the shackle legs and
accommodating axial reciprocative movement of the shackle between a
lower locking position and an upper release position, said main
body portion having a central bore therein located between said
sockets shaped to receive and removably house a key lock plug, a
key lock plug removably received in said bore including bolt means
movable into and out of locking engagement with said shackle legs,
said bottom wall defining the bottom of said bore and having a key
opening therein for projection of a key into said key lock plug for
operating the latter, said main body portion having a laterally
elongated slot defining a slideway extending along an axis
paralleling the plane of said pair of shackle legs from the space
overlying said central bore through one end of the padlock casing,
said slideway being bounded laterally by alternating tongue and
groove formations, and a reciprocatively slidable cover member
shaped to complement said slideway and extend in covering relation
over the central bore through the region of one of said shackle
legs to the adjacent end of the main body portion, said slidable
cover member having alternating tongue and groove formations
positioned to interfit with the tongue and groove formations
laterally bounding said slideway and having a cylindrical opening
therethrough registering with the socket for said one of said
shackle legs when said slide member is fully seated in said
slideway in convering relation to said bore.
2. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said key lock plug
includes a bolt operator projecting upwardly therefrom, and said
bolt means comprises a locking bolt member coupled to said bolt
operator.
3. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said key lock plug
includes a bolt operator projecting upwardly therefrom, and said
bolt means comprises a locking bolt member coupled to said bolt
operator for angular movement about a vertical axis having end
portions projecting into said sockets within said main body portion
at a locking position thereof, and said shackle legs having
confronting notches receiving said end portions of said locking
bolt when the latter occupies said locking position.
4. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said padlock casing has
a flat top wall surface through which said sockets open, said
shackle projecting from said top wall surface and having one leg
thereof slidably retained in said casing by removable means, and
said cover member having a flat top surface located flush with said
top wall surface and forming the portion of said top wall surface
through which one of said sockets opens.
5. A padlock as defined in claim 2, wherein said padlock casing has
a flat top wall surface through which said sockets open, said
shackle projecting from said top wall surface and having one leg
thereof slidably retained in said casing by removable means, and
said cover member having a flat top surface located flush with said
top wall surface and forming the portion of said top wall surface
through which one of said sockets opens.
6. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said padlock casing has
a flat top wall surface through which said sockets open, said
shackle projecting from said top wall surface and having one leg
thereof slidably retained in said casing by removable means, said
cover member having a flat top surface located flush with said top
wall surface and forming the portion of said top wall surface
through which one of said sockets opens, said bolt means being
movable responsive to a key to a first unlocking position and a
second release position and having an interlock pin projecting
upwardly therefrom eccentric to the axis of rotation of the bolt
means, said cover member having a downwardly facing interlock slot
therein receiving said interlock pin shaped to prevent movement of
the cover member from its fully seated position when the bolt means
occupies its locking and unlocking positions and said slot having a
leg portion opening through an end of the cover member
accommodating relative movement of said pin when the bolt occupies
said second release position to permit withdrawal of the cover
member from said slideway when the shackle is in upper release
position.
7. A padlock as defined in claim 2, wherein said padlock casing has
a flat top wall surface through which said sockets open, said
shackle projecting from said top wall surface and having one leg
thereof slidably retained in said casing by removable means, said
cover member having a flat top surface located flush with said top
wall surface and forming the portion of said top wall surface
through which one of said sockets opens, said bolt means being
movable responsive to a key to a first unlocking position and a
second release position and having an interlock pin projecting
upwardly therefrom eccentric to the axis of rotation of the bolt
means, said cover member having a downwardly facing interlock slot
therein receiving said interlock pin shaped to prevent movement of
the cover member from its fully seated position when the bolt means
occupies its locking and unlocking positions and said slot having a
leg portion opening through an end of the cover member
accommodating relative movement of said pin when the bolt occupies
said second release position to permit withdrawal of the cover
member from said slideway when the shackle is in upper release
position.
8. A padlock as defined in claim 3, wherein said padlock casing has
a flat top wall surface through which said sockets open, said
shackle projecting from said top wall surface and having one leg
thereof slidably retained in said casing by removable means, said
cover member having a flat top surface located flush with said top
wall surface and forming the portion of said top wall surface
though which one of said sockets opens, said bolt means being
movable responsive to a key to a first unlocking position and a
second release position and having an interlock pin projecting
upwardly therefrom eccentric to the axis of rotation of the bolt
means, said cover member having a downwardly facing interlock slot
therein receiving said interlock pin shaped to prevent movement of
the cover member from its fully seated position when the bolt means
occupies its locking and unlocking positions and said slot having a
leg portion opening through an end of the cover member
accommodating relative movement of said pin when the bolt occupies
said second release position to permit withdrawal of the cover
member from said slideway when the shackle is in upper release
position.
9. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said bolt means is
angularly movable responsive to a key to a first unlocking position
and a second release position and having an interlock pin
projecting upwardly therefrom eccentric to the axis of rotation of
the bolt means, said cover member having a downwardly facing
interlock slot therein receiving said interlock pin shaped to
prevent movement of the cover member from its fully seated position
when the bolt means occupies its locking and unlocking positions
and said slot having a leg portion opening through an end of the
cover member accommodating relative movement of said pin when the
bolt occupies said second release position to permit withdrawal of
the cover member from said slideway when the shackle is in upper
release position.
10. A padlock as defined in claim 2, wherein said bolt means is
angularly movable responsive to a key to a first unlocking position
and a second release position and having an interlock pin
projecting upwardly therefrom eccentric to the axis of rotation of
the bolt means, said cover member having a downwardly facing
interlock slot therein receiving said interlock pin shaped to
prevent movement of the cover member from its fully seated position
when the bolt means occupies its locking and unlocking positions
and said slot having a leg portion opening through an end of the
cover member accommodating relative movement of said pin when the
bolt occupies said second release position to permit withdrawal of
the cover member from said slideway when the shackle is in upper
release position.
Description
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to padlocks, and more
particularly to padlocks of either the exposed shackle or shrouded
type, having key lock plugs and a special construction permitting
removal of the key lock plug and replacement with another plug to
permit use of the padlock with a different key.
Heretofore, key operated padlocks have ordinarily been constructed
in such a manner that the key lock plug is incorporated in the
padlock body during manufacture so that it cannot be replaced
without substantial destruction of the lock. However, it has been
recognized that it is desirable in some instances, and particularly
in connection with high security uses of padlocks, to provide for
removal of the key lock plug in some manner so that a key plug
designed for another key can be substituted to permit operation of
the lock by a different key. Customarily, such locks have been
constructed so as to permit removal of the key lock plug either by
use of a special change key, or by rotation of one or a pair of
retaining screws accessible in the socket or sockets which normally
receive the shackle legs, thus permitting change only when the lock
is unlocked, or by retraction of a split ring accessible in a
similar manner to operation of the retaining screw. Other key
operable padlocks have been constructed wherein an exposed cover is
mounted over the bore for the key lock plug, with the cover held to
the padlock body by rivets or similar fastening devices. However,
such a construction does not meet the requirements of high security
lock applications.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel key
operable padlock construction wherein the key lock plug is
protected from removal by a slidable seal which is removable from
the padlock case in a special manner when the shackle has been
withdrawn to release position, thus permitting substitution of a
key lock plug designed for a different key.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel
key operable padlock wherein a slide member is normally held
against movement from a protective position over the key lock plug
by one of the legs of the padlock shackle and which is released for
removal to a position permitting access to the key lock plug and
substitution of a different plug when the shackle has been
withdrawn to unlocking position and the key is rotated in a
direction opposite normal unlocking rotation thereof.
In many uses of padlocks, the padlock is in an exposed position
such that a person seeking unauthorized entry into the space
secured by the padlock may attempt to saw through the shackle or
insert a tool between the hasp members and the lock to wedge or
chisel the lock open. A further object of the present invention,
therefore, is the provision of a novel padlock construction for
improving the security of such padlocks and enhancing their
resistance against such efforts to gain unauthorized entry. This
may be accomplished by providing a shrouded type padlock body
wherein a portion of the padlock body forms a shroud about the
shackle which denies direct access to the shackle by a saw or
wedging tool.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating
preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exposed shackle
padlock embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse section view thereof taken along
the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical section view thereof taken along the line 3--3
of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a horizontal section view taken along the line 4--4 of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a horizontal section view taken along the line 5--5 of
FIG. 2;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are section views from the same position as FIG. 4,
showing the lock respectively with the locking bolt in unlocking
position, and in slide release position;
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the lock body;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the slide member removed from the
lock body; and
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a shrouded type padlock embodying
the present invention, with the shackle shown exploded
therefrom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters
designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, there
is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6 a form of padlock, indicated
generally by the reference character 10, which is of the exposed
shackle type. The padlock 10 comprises a padlock body 11 of
generally elliptical configuration in top plan view, having a top
surface 12 and a bottom surface 13. The padlock body 11 is
preferably a unitary casted body, formed for example of hardened
steel, and has a pair of closed bottom sockets or bores 14, 15
opening through the top surface 12 for receiving the legs of the
shackle 16. The sockets 14, 15 have slightly constricted entrance
portions 14a, 15a of cylindrical configuration defining downwardly
facing transition surfaces or shoulders 14b, 15b, spaced below the
top surface 12.
The shackle 16 is preferably in the form of a U-shaped rod of
hardened steel having a longer leg 17 and a shorter leg 18. The
longer leg 17 passes through the circular entrance opening 14a in
the top surface 12 into the socket 14 and extends a substantial
distance within the padlock body 11 toward the bottom surface 13.
The leg 17 is permitted a selected amount of axial and rotatable
movement relative to the padlock body 11, but is normally
restrained against withdrawal from the socket 14 by means of a pin
19 driven through an opening 11a in the padlock body into a pin
aperture 17b in the leg 17. An end of the pin 19 projects slightly
from a side of the leg 17 into the socket 14 below the shoulder 14b
in underlapping relation to the shoulder so that the shoulder 14b
will intercept the projecting end of the pin upon upward movement
of the shackle. The free end portion of the shorter leg 18 enters
through the circular entrance opening 15a in the top surface 12
into the closed bottom socket 15 in the padlock body, when the
shackle is in locking position. By this construction, the shorter
leg 18 of the shackle can be withdrawn from the padlock body 11
when the padlock is unlocked, and can be swung to an exposed
position by rotating the shackle 16 about the axis of its longer
leg 17, the abutment of the ends of pin 15 with shoulder 14b
defining the limit of this withdrawal movement. The U-shaped
shackle 16 also comprises the usual curved intermediate portion 20
extending between the legs 17 and 18, which serves as the portion
which engages the usual apertured hasps member or pair of hasps
members, as indicated at 21a and 21b, having apertures 22a and 22b
which are of a diameter closely approximating the diameter of the
shackle and are adapted to register with each other to receive the
shackle therethrough. The shackle legs 17 and 18 each have a notch
17a, 18a located within the padlock body when the shackle is in
locking position and which are disposed in the confronting or
inwardly facing portions of the shackle legs to receive nose
portions of a rotatable locking bolt 24 as later described.
The padlock body includes a closed bottom lower central bore
portion 25 which communicates with the sockets 14 and 15 and is
shaped and sized to snugly accommodate a key lock plug 26 of
conventional construction, having a usual rotatable cylinder
therein, including a bolt actuator 26a, disposed at the upper end
of the plug 26 when the core is properly arranged in the padlock
body. In this embodiment, the locking bolt 24 is removably secured
to the cylinder of the plug 26 by screws 24b. The plug 26 also
includes a key opening in the downwardly facing end portion of the
rotatable cylinder, indicated at 26b in FIG. 2, located immediately
above a key opening 27 in the bottom surface 13 of the padlock body
for insertion of the key into the key opening of the plug cylinder.
Referenced to the bottom view of FIG. 8 the key is to be rotated in
a clockwise direction from center position through the appropriate
arc to unlock the key lock, and to be rotated in a counterclockwise
direction from center position to permit removal of the plug 26 as
later described. Since the conventional key lock plug 26 usually
has a pair of flat sides, indicated at 26c, and a pair of concave
arcuate ends, the central bore 25 for the plug is either similarly
shaped in horizontal cross-section or is cylindrical over most of
its height and has flats at its upper end to embrace and hold the
plug.
Immediately above the lower central bore portion 25 is an enlarged
upper central bore portion 28 for accommodating the rotatable
locking bolt 24. The rotatable locking bolt 24, as will be apparent
from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, has a downwardly extending boss formation
24a which is recessed to define a downwardly facing slot shaped to
properly interfit with the bolt actuator 26a of the key lock plug
so as to be rotated by the cylinder of the plug 26 when the latter
is shifted to unlocking position by the proper key. The locking
bolt 24 also includes a pair of diametrically oppositely projecting
nose portions 24c and 24d which interfit into the notches 17a, 18a
of the shackle legs 17, 18 when the key lock plug cylinder, and
therefore the locking bolt 24, are in locking position. Suitable
extension recesses 29A of the upper bore 28 at the level of the
locking bolt 24 communicate with the sockets 14, 15 in one
direction from center position to accommodate rotary arcuate
movement of the locking bolt nose portions 24c, 24d from the
locking position to the unlocking position to free the shackle 16
for withdrawal to its unlocking position, and extension recesses
29B accommodate similar arcuate movement of the bolt 24 in the
opposite direction.
The upper end of the upper bore portion 28 is closed by a slide
member 30 forming a closure seal over the top of the locking bolt
24. The slidable seal member 30 includes opposite convex inner and
outer ends 31 and 32, the latter being of a radius to correspond to
the curvature of the end portion of the padlock body which lies
immediately below the end 32 when the slide member 30 is in the
closed or covering position. Each of the sides 33 and 34 and the
inner end 31 of the slide member 30 have a plurality of alternating
ribs and channels, or tongues and grooves, indicated at 35 and 36,
to complement and slidably interfit with and track in ribs and
channels or tongues and grooves indicated at 37 and 38 bounding the
sides and inner end of the slot 39 in the upper portion of the
padlock body designed to slidably receive the slide member 30. The
slide member has a cylindrical opening 40 therein designed to aline
with the entrance portion 15a of the socket 15 in the illustrated
embodiment, when the slide member 30 is in the closed or sealing
position, so that the leg 18 of the shackle 16 extends through the
cylindrical opening 40 and prevents movement of the slide 30 from
closed position when the padlock is in locked condition.
A downwardly opening interlock slot 30A is provided in the lower
face of the slide 30, which includes an arcuate slot portion 30B
concentric with the axis of the cylinder of plug 26 and a straight
slot portion 30C forming an access leg extending from one end of
curved portion 30B through the inner end of slide 30 parallel to
the axis of movement of the slide in the slot 39. The locking bolt
24 has an interlock pin 24e projecting upwardly into the curved
portion 30B of the slot 30A to restrain the slide 30 against
movement from the sealing or covering position of FIG. 6 when the
bolt 24 is at any position other than the slide release position of
FIG. 7.
Before the shackle 16 has been assembled in the padlock body, the
key lock plug 26 is inserted into the lower central bore portion 25
of the padlock body, after which the locking bolt 24 is fitted
downwardly on the bolt actuator portion 26a of the plug and secured
by the screws 26b. The slide member 30 is then installed in the
padlock body by starting it into the slot 39 with its tongues and
grooves 35, 36 interfitted with the tongues and grooves 37, 38
forming the side walls of the slot, and, with the key lock cylinder
and bolt 24 disposed at the slide release position of FIG. 7, the
slide is shifted longitudinally to closed position wherein its
convex end 32 alines with the adjacent curved end portion of the
padlock body. The locking bolt 24 is then rotated by the key in a
clockwise direction from the FIG. 7 position to the FIG. 6 position
to fix the slide member in closed position. With the bolt 24 and
key lock in unlocked condition, shown in FIG. 6, wherein the nose
portions 24c, 24d of the locking bolt are withdrawn from the
sockets 14, 15, the shackle legs 17 and 18 can be inserted into the
sockets 14 and 15 until the longer leg 17 bottoms in its socket 14,
and the pin 19 is then driven into the padlock body and into the
opening therefore in the lower portion of the shackle leg 17 to
restrain the shackle in the padlock body.
In the embodiment illustrated, the key lock plug 26 can be removed
and replaced by another plug for use with a different key whenever
the lock is first shifted to unlocked condition and the shackle 16
is withdrawn to aline its lower notch 17b in its leg 17 with the
bolt nose 24c, followed by rotation of the shackle through
180.degree. to face the notch 17b toward the bolt and rotation of
the key and bolt 24 to the release position of FIG. 7 alining
interlock pin 24e with interlock slot portion 30C. The slide member
30 can then be withdrawn from the slot 39 in the padlock body. The
locking bolt 24 can then be unfastened from the plug 24 by
withdrawing screws 24b and the padlock body can then be inverted to
permit the locking bolt 24 and key lock plug 26 to drop out of the
bore portions 28 and 25. The padlock body is then again inverted to
upright position, and another key lock plug 26 is inserted into the
lower central bore portion 25, after which the locking bolt 24 is
reassembled onto the bolt actuator 26 of the new plug. The slide
member 30 is then reinserted in the slot 39 with the key and
locking bolt in slide release position, after which the key is
returned to unlocking position, the shackle is moved downwardly
into locking position, and the key and bolt are returned to locking
position.
This padlock construction employing a reciprocative slide member 30
forming the closure seal over the bore portions housing the locking
bolt 24 and plug 26 may also be employed in a shrouded type padlock
body as illustrated in FIG. 10 and indicated generally by the
reference character 45. In such a shrouded type padlock body 45,
the body includes a shroud portion 46 which is integral with the
lower padlock body portion 47 and extends to a top surface 48 at
the level of or slightly above the uppermost extent of the curved
portion 20 of the shackle 16. To accommodate the shackle 16 and the
lower portions of the hasps members 21a, 21b, the upper or shroud
portion 46 of the padlock body 45 has a cross shaped or cruciform
recess 49 extending downwardly from its top surface 47. The recess
49 has arms 49a in a first plane defining the recess portion for
accommodating the shackle 16, and has arms 49b in a second plane
perpendicular to the first plane, with one of the arms opening
rearwardly through the upper or shroud portion of the padlock body
45 at the location indicated at 49b', to define a recess for snugly
accommodating the hasps portions 21a, 21b which project into the
portions 49b of the recess to permit the shackle 16 to extend
through the apertures 22a, 22b in the hasps members. The
construction of the shrouded type padlock is otherwise the same
internally as the padlock construction of the embodiment of FIGS. 1
to 8, except that the pin 19 is omitted so that the shackle can be
wholly withdrawn from the padlock body when the locking bolt 24 is
in unlocking position. If desired, the two shackle legs may be the
same length in this embodiment.
Also, in the embodiment illustrated, the front wall of the shrouded
type padlock body 45 is provided with a central recess 51 for
receiving the end of a chain, indicated at 52, and is provided with
a pair of small flanking recesses 53, together with drilled
openings 54 extending between the recesses 53 and intersecting the
upper portion of the recess 51 to receive a drive pin therethrough
to be driven through the drilled openings 54 and a link of the
chain 52 for coupling the padlock body 45 to the door or other
security closure by means of the chain.
* * * * *