US3670539A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combination lock
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-07-28
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Granted: 1972-06-20
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Expires: 1990-07-28
Abstract
Abstract A combination lock having a rotor, mounted in a casing, and which carries locking elements arranged in lengthwise extending slots on the outer surface thereof, the locking elements each being manipulatable, by suitable mechanism, to cause movement between first and second longitudinally spaced dispositions, each element in one disposition precluding rotation of the rotor by engagement with an abutment on the internal surface of the casing and in the other disposition clearing the abutment so as not to preclude rotation, the rotation precluding condition for some elements normally corresponding to one disposition, and for others normally corresponding to the second disposition.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth George Charles Marotte
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:28
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B37/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S70/00; Y10S70/49; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/70; Y10T70/7153; Y10T70/7181; Y10T70/7198; Y10T70/7215; Y10T70/7226
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
345 words
A combination lock having a casing structure having a plurality of abutments, a rotor mounted for rotation within said structure, a plurality of locking elements carried in openings arranged about the axis of said rotor and substantially parallel to the axis thereof, actuating means and resetting means, said locking elements each being slidably movable in said openings between first and second locations and each, in one of these locations, preventing substantial rotation of said rotor within said casing structure by cooperating with said abutments and in the other location being cleared of said abutments and not precluding such rotation, said actuating means being operable to move said elements or any selected one or more thereof one by one from the first location to the second location; said actuating means comprising a knob mounted on said casing structure for rotation about the axis of said rotor and relative to the rotor, said knob also being movable axially of the casing structure and being provided with a projecting actuating member which is selectively movable by axial movement of the knob so as to effect said movement of the locking elements by engagement with facing ends of the locking elements; said resetting means being operable to move all of said locking elements from said second to said first location and including a member having a stem portion which is slidable in a generally axial bore in said rotor and a head, said head being movable axially in said bore and towards said knob to engage end surfaces of said elements opposite to said facing ends to effect the movement thereof from said second location to said first location, and said resetting member being resiliently biased in a direction away from said knob, the lock also including a lever pivotal at a point intermediate its length, about an axis which is substantially fixed relative to said rotor, one end thereof being engageable with said stem and the other end being positioned so that it may be depressed axially away from said knob, by engagement therewith by said actuating member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
345 words
A combination lock having a casing structure having a plurality of abutments, a rotor mounted for rotation within said structure, a plurality of locking elements carried in openings arranged about the axis of said rotor and substantially parallel to the axis thereof, actuating means and resetting means, said locking elements each being slidably movable in said openings between first and second locations and each, in one of these locations, preventing substantial rotation of said rotor within said casing structure by cooperating with said abutments and in the other location being cleared of said abutments and not precluding such rotation, said actuating means being operable to move said elements or any selected one or more thereof one by one from the first location to the second location; said actuating means comprising a knob mounted on said casing structure for rotation about the axis of said rotor and relative to the rotor, said knob also being movable axially of the casing structure and being provided with a projecting actuating member which is selectively movable by axial movement of the knob so as to effect said movement of the locking elements by engagement with facing ends of the locking elements; said resetting means being operable to move all of said locking elements from said second to said first location and including a member having a stem portion which is slidable in a generally axial bore in said rotor and a head, said head being movable axially in said bore and towards said knob to engage end surfaces of said elements opposite to said facing ends to effect the movement thereof from said second location to said first location, and said resetting member being resiliently biased in a direction away from said knob, the lock also including a lever pivotal at a point intermediate its length, about an axis which is substantially fixed relative to said rotor, one end thereof being engageable with said stem and the other end being positioned so that it may be depressed axially away from said knob, by engagement therewith by said actuating member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
135 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein said casing structure is provided with a wall extending transversely of the axis of rotation of the rotor intermediate said knob and said elements and provided with a plurality of apertures therethrough, the apertures being positioned so that when the rotor is in a locked condition, being a condition in which it is prevented from rotation within the casing structure by engagement of one or more of said lOcking elements with a cooperating abutment or abutments, the said apertures are longitudinally aligned each with a separate one of said openings, said actuating member being moved through said apertures to effect said movement of the locking elements and through one of said apertures or a further aperture in said wall to effect said depression of said lever.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 2 wherein the said other end of the lever and the said openings are equi-angularly disposed in said rotor and all of the said apertures including the said further aperture are correspondingly arranged in said wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 3 wherein said knob is mounted for rotation upon a boss extending from said wall in an opposite direction to said elements, which knob being freely rotatable on said boss and movable axially relative thereto to a coupled position further away from said wall than a position in which said actuating member is just clear from said wall, said rotor having an extension extending coaxially within said boss, and said knob engaging said rotor extension, in said coupled position, to couple said rotor to said knob for rotation together as a unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 4 wherein the said extension is provided with a first pin or other projection which extends through a part circumferentially extending opening in said boss and is engageable with a recess in a transversely extending portion of said knob to effect said coupling between the rotor and knob.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 5 wherein there is provided means for preventing said coupling from taking place except when said knob is positioned so that said actuating member is aligned with a particular one of said apertures and further aperture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means for preventing said coupling comprises a second pin or projection fixed upon the outer surface of said boss and a lengthwise extending slot formed in the inner periphery of said knob, said second pin or projection being received in said lengthwise extending slot during movement of said knob to said coupled position and when the said actuating member is aligned with said one particular aperture, but movement of the knob to the coupled position being precluded, when said actuating member is not aligned with said one particular aperture, by engagement of said second pin or projection with said transversely extending portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 7 and including means for preventing decoupling of the knob and rotor except when said knob is positioned so that said actuating member is aligned with said one aperture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for preventing decoupling comprises a circumferential or part circumferential groove on the inner periphery of said knob in which said second pin or projection is accommodated during turning of the coupled knob and rotor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 5 wherein there is provided locking means locking said rotor relative to said casing structure in a disposition in which said one particular aperture is aligned with the said other end of said lever, said locking means operating independently of said locking elements when said knob is decoupled and releasing upon movement of said knob to said coupled position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 10 wherein rotation of said rotor in said casing structure is limited, by engagement of said first pin or other projection with opposite ends of said part-circumferential opening, for rotation in one direction away from said disposition, and rotation in the opposite direction back to said disposition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
110 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 10 wherein said locking means includes a lengthwise extending first slot in said rotor extension, said first slot extending to that end of the rotor extension remote from said wall, a lengthwise extending second slot in said boss, extendIng to the end thereof remote from said wall, and a locking member having an arm thereof retained in said first slot and a transverse portion extending outwardly of the axis of the rotor; the said locking member being slidable in said first slot to and from a locked condition in which said transversely extending portion is engaged in the second slot to effect locking.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
98 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 12 wherein said locking means further includes means resiliently biasing said locking member towards said wall and operating to displace the locking means so that said transverse portion enters said second slot when the rotor is positioned at said disposition and the knob is advanced towards said wall; said transverse portion being engageable by the transversely extending portion of said knob when said knob is moved to said coupled position to move said locking member in a direction away from said wall to disengage said transverse portion from said second slot.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 13 wherein said lever is engaged in a generally radial third slot in said rotor, said third slot extending from the outer surface of the rotor into said bore, and said lever being provided with shaped surfaces which engage axially spaced surfaces of said third slot whereby the lever is pivotable about these surfaces, the lever being removably retained in the third slot by a removable clip which closes the outer end thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
120 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 14 wherein said abutments extend inwardly and generally radially of said casing structure, said locking elements each having a notch extending inwardly of a surface thereof which is disposed radially outermost of the axis of rotation of the rotor, each said notch, when the corresponding locking element is in its location allowing rotation of the rotor, being disposed at the axial location of said abutments, and clear of these during rotation of the rotor, each said notch being, when the corresponding locking element is in its rotation precluding location, axially displaced of said abutments; rotation of the rotor being precluded by engagement of an unnotched portion of the locking element with an abutment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A combination lock as claimed in claim 15 wherein one side face of each said notch is disposed in a transverse plane of the associated locking element, this plane being disposed at a point midway between the axial ends thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-20 | 1975-12-20 | 1976-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-20 | 1979-12-20 | 1980-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-20 | 1983-12-20 | 1984-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |