US3789637A — Permutation lock

Claim 1

Independent Claim 65 words

In a lock having a plurality of retractable locking tumblers, an actuator having support means supporting it for tumbler selecting movement and for tumbler retracting movement in different directions, engaging means engageable between said actuator and each said tumbler to perform tumbler retracting movements, said engaging means being engageable only in predetermined sequence as a prerequisite for actuation of all of said plurality of tumblers.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 65 words

In a lock having a plurality of retractable locking tumblers, an actuator having support means supporting it for tumbler selecting movement and for tumbler retracting movement in different directions, engaging means engageable between said actuator and each said tumbler to perform tumbler retracting movements, said engaging means being engageable only in predetermined sequence as a prerequisite for actuation of all of said plurality of tumblers.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 122 words

A lock according to claim 1 in which the actuator is rotatable with respect to said support means, a handle connected to move said actuator manually in selecting directions and tumbler retracting directions, said engaging means including a tumbler retracting head normally disengaged from the actuator and complementary interengageable means on said head and said actuator which prevent rotation of said actuator in only one preselected position, said head and said actuator being interlockingly engaged in said preselected position when the actuator is moved in tumbler retracting direction in the course of said predetermined sequence of tumbler retracting movements, said means for requiring movements in predetermined sequence including means for simultaneously rotating and axially moving said actuator in response to axial pressure.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 153 words

A lock comprising a cylinder member, a relatively rotatable barrel member, a plurality of retractable tumblers mounted in one of said members and for which the other of said members provides sockets into which respective tumblers are receivable to preclude relative rotation by said members, means operable only in predetermined sequence for retracting tumblers successively entirely into said one of said members to free said members for relative rotation, said means including a manually operable spindle mounted for axial and rotative movement, and a lock actuating member movable only in response to relative motion between said cylinder and said barrel, said means operable only in predetermined sequence including a handle mounted for movement in at least a tumbler moving direction and a tumbler selecting direction and means mounted for movement with said handle in said tumbler moving direction to move said tumblers and to preclude movement of said handle in the other direction.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 153 words

A lock comprising a cylinder member, a relatively rotatable barrel member, a plurality of retractable tumblers mounted in one of said members and for which the other of said members provides sockets into which respective tumblers are receivable to preclude relative rotation by said members, means operable only in predetermined sequence for retracting tumblers successively entirely into said one of said members to free said members for relative rotation, said means including a manually operable spindle mounted for axial and rotative movement, and a lock actuating member movable only in response to relative motion between said cylinder and said barrel, said means operable only in predetermined sequence including a handle mounted for movement in at least a tumbler moving direction and a tumbler selecting direction and means mounted for movement with said handle in said tumbler moving direction to move said tumblers and to preclude movement of said handle in the other direction.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 202 words

A lock comprising the combination with a cylinder member and a barrel member, tumblers movably mounted in one of said members and movable to and from engagement in openings with which the other of said members is provided, a spindle having means supporting it for rotative and axial movements, an actuator for displacing at least one of said tumblers from a position of engagement with both of said members to a position of engagement with but one of said members, means for transmitting motion from said spindle to said actuator, motion of said actuator in response to one direction of movement of the spindle determining registration of said actuator with one of said tumblers, means for transmitting movement of the spindle in another direction for movement of the tumbler with which said actuator is in registry, and means for requiring a predetermined sequence of movements of said spindle to engage said actuator with successive tumblers as a prerequisite to the release of said lock, said last means including means to move said actuator to a position from which said sequence cannot be completed upon engagement of said actuator with any tumbler other than the tumbler next to be engaged in said sequence.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 202 words

A lock comprising the combination with a cylinder member and a barrel member, tumblers movably mounted in one of said members and movable to and from engagement in openings with which the other of said members is provided, a spindle having means supporting it for rotative and axial movements, an actuator for displacing at least one of said tumblers from a position of engagement with both of said members to a position of engagement with but one of said members, means for transmitting motion from said spindle to said actuator, motion of said actuator in response to one direction of movement of the spindle determining registration of said actuator with one of said tumblers, means for transmitting movement of the spindle in another direction for movement of the tumbler with which said actuator is in registry, and means for requiring a predetermined sequence of movements of said spindle to engage said actuator with successive tumblers as a prerequisite to the release of said lock, said last means including means to move said actuator to a position from which said sequence cannot be completed upon engagement of said actuator with any tumbler other than the tumbler next to be engaged in said sequence.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 54 words

A lock according to claim 4 in which means is provided for precluding movement of the spindle in a direction to determine the particular tumbler with which said actuator iS to be placed in registration unless said spindle and actuator are out of contact with the tumbler at the time the adjustment is made.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 168 words

A lock comprising the combination with a cylinder member and a barrel member, of tumblers movable mounted in one of said members and movable to and from engagement with openings with which the other of said members is provided, cams individual to respective tumblers and constituting means for pushing said tumblers in a direction to retract respective tumblers from the last mentioned openings, an actuator rotatably mounted with respect to one of said members for selective engagement with respective cams for the pushing thereof in tumbler retractive movement, a spindle rotatably mounted with respect to said barrel member and upon which said actuator is carried for rotation to registration with a selected cam, means for precluding such movement to registration except when the actuator is out of contact with the respective cams, and means to move said actuator to a position from which it cannot move all said tumblers to retracted positions upon engagement with a cam which is not next in a predetermined order of cam engagement.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 168 words

A lock comprising the combination with a cylinder member and a barrel member, of tumblers movable mounted in one of said members and movable to and from engagement with openings with which the other of said members is provided, cams individual to respective tumblers and constituting means for pushing said tumblers in a direction to retract respective tumblers from the last mentioned openings, an actuator rotatably mounted with respect to one of said members for selective engagement with respective cams for the pushing thereof in tumbler retractive movement, a spindle rotatably mounted with respect to said barrel member and upon which said actuator is carried for rotation to registration with a selected cam, means for precluding such movement to registration except when the actuator is out of contact with the respective cams, and means to move said actuator to a position from which it cannot move all said tumblers to retracted positions upon engagement with a cam which is not next in a predetermined order of cam engagement.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 59 words

A lock according to claim 6 wherein said last mentioned means include a key on said actuator and said cam has a complementary slot in which said key is engageable, the cam being non-rotatable and the actuator having screw means in which it is mounted for axial and rotative movement respecting said spindle upon axial pressure on said actuator.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 153 words

A lock comprising a combination with a cylinder member and a barrel member, of tumblers movably mounted in one of said members movable to and retractable from engagement in openings with which the other of said members is provided, cam means for individually retracting each of said tumblers, each of said cam means having a head axially reciprocable in said cylinder member and provided with a transverse slot, a spindle provided with means mounting it for rotation in the cylinder member and provided with a bracket projecting laterally, an actuator mounted for movement rotatably and axially in the bracket in a position offset from said spindle, screwthreaded means for potentially causing rotation of the actuator when subject to thrust axially of the bracket and not restrained from rotation, and a key on said actuator engageable in the slot to connect the actuator non-rotatably to a said head with which the actuator is aligned.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 153 words

A lock comprising a combination with a cylinder member and a barrel member, of tumblers movably mounted in one of said members movable to and retractable from engagement in openings with which the other of said members is provided, cam means for individually retracting each of said tumblers, each of said cam means having a head axially reciprocable in said cylinder member and provided with a transverse slot, a spindle provided with means mounting it for rotation in the cylinder member and provided with a bracket projecting laterally, an actuator mounted for movement rotatably and axially in the bracket in a position offset from said spindle, screwthreaded means for potentially causing rotation of the actuator when subject to thrust axially of the bracket and not restrained from rotation, and a key on said actuator engageable in the slot to connect the actuator non-rotatably to a said head with which the actuator is aligned.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 128 words

In a lock having relatively movable parts, bolt actuating means movable in response to relative movement between said parts, and tumbler means arrayed along a path and each movable from locked positions extending into both said parts to unlocked positions wholly in one of said parts, the combination comprising: tumbler actuating means movable in a first direction to move a tumbler to unlocking position and movable along a path in a second direction parallel to the array of tumbler means only when said actuating means is out of contact with said tumbler means, and means to disable said tumbler actuating means from moving all of said tumbler means to unlocked positions upon contact with a tumbler means which is not next in a predetermined sequence of tumbler means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 128 words

In a lock having relatively movable parts, bolt actuating means movable in response to relative movement between said parts, and tumbler means arrayed along a path and each movable from locked positions extending into both said parts to unlocked positions wholly in one of said parts, the combination comprising: tumbler actuating means movable in a first direction to move a tumbler to unlocking position and movable along a path in a second direction parallel to the array of tumbler means only when said actuating means is out of contact with said tumbler means, and means to disable said tumbler actuating means from moving all of said tumbler means to unlocked positions upon contact with a tumbler means which is not next in a predetermined sequence of tumbler means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 9 wherein said tumbler means includes a cam engageable by said tumbler actuating means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 13 words

The device of claim 9 wherein said array of tumbler means is circular.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 9 wherein each tumbler means includes a tumbler movable radially along its own axis between locked position and unlocked position.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

The device of claim 9 wherein each tumbler means includes a non-rotatable tumbler movable on its own axis between locked and unlocked position.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

The device of claim 13 wherein said disabling means includes means mounting said tumbler actuating means for rotative and axial movement, and clutch means engageable to prevent said rotative and axial movement during contact between said tumbler means and said tumbler Actuating means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 74 words

The device of claim 14 in which said clutch means rotates a predetermined amount when said tumbler actuating means is engaged with a tumbler means which is next in the predetermined sequence and rotates a greater amount when engaged with any other tumbler means, the parts of said clutch being shaped to require a specific orientation of said tumbler actuating means at a specific tumbler means for movement of all tumblers to unlocked position.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 82 words

The device of claim 15 in which said tumbler actuating means is a rod having a thread of high pitch around it, said rod being mounted on a bracket, detents in the bracket engaged with the thread, and a manually controlled spindle rotatable to move the tumbler actuating means along said path and reciprocable to engage said tumbler actuating means with a tumbler means, said clutch comprising a linear diametric projection from said rod and a mating groove in said tumbler means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 16 in which said mating groove is circumferentially widened at its ends to permit said predetermined rotation of said clutch.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 19 words

The device of claim 16 in which said groove is oriented to premit said predetermined rotation of said clutch.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 48 words

The device of claim 15 in which resetting means is mounted for movement with said bracket, and said rod may be restored to an operative position in said bracket only by a movement of said resetting means to a position that forces said tumbler means to locked position.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 47 words

The device of claim 9 in which resetting means is mounted for movement with said bracket, and said rod may be restored to an operative position in said bracket only by a movement of said resetting means to a position thatforces said tumbler means to locked position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-02-04	1977-08-06	1978-02-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-02-04	1981-08-06	1982-02-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-02-04	1985-08-06	1986-02-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Permutation lock

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