U.S. patent number RE30,243 [Application Number 05/940,240] was granted by the patent office on 1980-04-01 for padlock closure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Medeco Security Locks, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roy N. Oliver.
United States Patent |
RE30,243 |
Oliver |
April 1, 1980 |
Padlock closure
Abstract
A closure for a padlock body containing a removably fixed lock
cylinder primarily comprising a circular member having a concave
recess in its perimeter coacting with the shorter leg of the
padlock's shackle at the top of the padlock, the underside of the
said member having a bayonet-like latch preventing the member from
being withdrawn from the top of the padlock via coacting with the
interior of the padlock body wherein the aforesaid lock cylinder is
enclosed unless the member is rotated a predetermined amount, and
the rotation of the member being prevented by the said leg of the
shackle being in its proper socket in the body of the padlock in
its locked position. The keyway to the lock cylinder for locking
and unlocking the padlock is in the bottom of the padlock extending
into the padlock body as is well known in the art.
Inventors: |
Oliver; Roy N. (Salem, VA) |
Assignee: |
Medeco Security Locks, Inc.
(Salem, VA)
|
Family
ID: |
27111744 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/940,240 |
Filed: |
September 7, 1978 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
728787 |
Oct 1, 1976 |
04063435 |
Dec 20, 1977 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
70/38A;
70/52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B
67/24 (20130101); Y10T 70/459 (20150401); Y10T
70/489 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
E05B
67/00 (20060101); E05B 67/24 (20060101); E05B
027/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;70/38R,38A,38B,38C,52,53,51,367,368 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wolfe; Robert L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn and
Macpeak
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a padlock having a U-shaped shackle including a confined leg
and a shorter non-confined leg protruding respectively from sockets
in the top of the padlock, a body enclosing a detachably fixed lock
cylinder removable through an opening in the top of the padlock,
the top opening being of circular shape having a diameter less than
the minimum distance between the shackle legs merging into an
approximately semi-circular shape having a diameter just larger
than that of the shorter shackle leg, the body portion including
fixed bayonet coupling portion therein, a closure comprising a
circular rotatable member for the opening having on its underside a
bayonet coupling portion which cooperates with the bayonet coupling
portion of the body and, the closure member on rotation sealing and
closing the opening except for the shorter shackle leg opening
portion thereof, so that when the padlock is locked the closure
member is locked by the shorter shackle leg, and when the padlock
is unlocked the shorter shackle leg only when removed allows the
closure member to be removed for removal of the detachably fixed
lock cylinder.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Padlocks used with hasps and staples are well known in the art, and
are continually being imporved. One direction in which such
improvements are made is in the use of high security lock cylinders
enclosed within the body of the padlock such as are described and
shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,499,302 and 3,722,240. Normally such lock
cylinders are replaceably fixed in high security padlocks in a
manner so that they may be changed in the event that keys become
lost or stolen without having to replace the entire padlock.
In replacing lock cylinders in high security padlocks problems
arise in connection with securely enclosing the lock cylinder
within the padlock body. One method has been to use a separate key
for releasing the lock cylinder and another key for opening and
closing the padlock. Still other methods have been used wherein the
lock cylinder is enclosed by a pin either into the cylinder per se
or into a cover plate as for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 824,593 and
2,047,969. Still another method for securely enclosing the lock
cylinder within the padlock body is by use of the shackle providing
an interlock with the cover plate as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. Nos.
2,047,969 and 3,710,603. Both of these patents, however, have
limitations.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,047,969 a retaining screw is
required which can be tampered with to disable the padlock and in
U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,603 the entire shackle .[.becomes free when the
padlock is unlocked.]. .Iadd.must be removed in order to remove the
cover plate and the lock cylinder .Iaddend.giving rise to the
padlock per se dropping to the ground and/or the shackle becoming
contaminated in normal use of the padlock.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention a closure is provided in the top of the
padlock body that is normally clamped over the opening in the
padlock through which the lock cylinder can be removed. This
closure can only be opened upon rotation to a certain predetermined
position; however, in the locked position of the padlock a concave
recess in the perimeter of the closure partially surrounds the
shorter leg of the shackle, thereby providing an interlock so that
the closure can not be opened until the leg of the shackle is
within drawn in the unlocked position of the padlock. Unlike the
arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,603 the longer leg of the
shackle can be pinned, or otherwise fastened within the body of the
padlock, so that the entire shackle does not have to be withdrawn
.[.,.]. .Iadd.in order to remove the cover plate and the cylinder,
.Iaddend.and the problem of damage and/or contamination of the
padlock or shackle is eliminated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a padlock adapted to the closure of
the invention.
FIG. 2 shows the closure per se in perspective with the bayonet
latching portion exposed, the closure being inverted from its
normal position within the body of a padlock as shown in FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 illustrates the closure being in place in the top of the
padlock body after the predetermined rotation required to permit
its withdrawal from the opening into the padlock body--the shorter
leg of the shackle (not shown) being withdrawn from its socket.
FIG. 4 shows in perspective the closure in its normally closed
position and rotated to have the shorter leg of the shackle
interlock rotation of the closure when the leg is inserted through
its socket.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1 a padlock 10 having a top 11 has an opening 11a
through which a lock cylinder (not shown) may be inserted and
operated through a keyway having an opening on the bottom of the
padlock (not shown). A shackle is provided having a leg 12
protruding through a socket 13 and a shorter leg 14, the longer leg
12 being pinned within the body of the padlock 10 to keep it from
being withdrawn although it is free to pivot in its socket 13 as in
conventional padlocks. The leg 14 is insertable for locking the
padlock through a socket 15.
Referring also to FIG. 2 there is a shown a closure 16 of circular
shape having a bayonet lug 17 spaced below the closure 16 and a
concave recess 20 in the perimeter of the closure 16. It is to be
noted that the drawing of FIG. 2 shows this construction inverted
from its normal position in covering the opening 11a as shown in
FIG. 3. The lug 17 cooperates with the shoulders 18 and 19 (see
FIG. 1) to clamp the closure 16 in the top of the padlock 10, and
the recess 20 partially surrounds the leg 14 at its socket 15 when
the closure is in its clamped position (see FIG. 4). Since the
closure 16 can only be removed from the top 11 of the padlock 10
(see FIG. 3) when the closure 16 is rotated approximately
90.degree. from its position as shown in FIG. 4, it is effectively
locked by the shackle leg 14 until the latter is withdrawn from its
socket when the padlock is unlocked. Consequently, the lock
cylinder contained within the body of the padlock 10 can not be
removed from the opening 11a until the padlock is unlocked and the
shorter leg 14 removed from its socket 15 and swung out of the way
as in FIG. 1. (Note. For purposes of conserving space in the
drawing of FIG. 1 the shackle leg 12, the longer leg is shown in
its fully inserted position).
Attention is again invited to FIG. 1 wherein is shown the locking
bolt 21 for coacting with a notch 22 in the shackle leg 14, a
similar notch in leg 12 (not shown) coacting with the bolt 21,
which is controlled by the lock cylinder--this being no part of
this invention.
Referring again to FIG. 1 a spring urged ball 23 is arranged to
bear against the labelled surface (as shown in FIG. 2) of the lug
17 when the closure 16 is inserted in the top 11 of the padlock 10
covering the opening 11a so that when the shorter leg 14 of the
shackle is withdrawn from the padlock there is no inadvertant
rotation of the closure 16 thereby making it awkward to re-insert
the leg 14 to again lock the padlock. This spring urged detent may
be a socket 18a formed in the shoulder 18 as shown by FIG. 5 having
a spring 25 bearing against ball 23. Otherwise it might be
necessary to re-align the closure 16 so that the leg 14 could be
inserted through its socket 15 and the meshing of the recess 20
therewith.
The ball 23 may be spring urged through a hole 16, drilled through
the closure 16 for latching the closure 16 in the position shown by
FIG. 4, access to release the latch thereby being by the insertion
of a wire or pin through the aforesaid hole, if more accurate
registration of the closure 16 (actually the recess 20) is desired
with socket 15.
* * * * *