Desk lock system

Claim 2

A locking system for the drawers, doors or like components of a desk, cabinet or like articles of furniture, said locking system comprising: an elongated rock bar pivotally suspended in said article of furniture for fore and aft swinging movement; lock means operably connected to said rock bar for controlling the fore and aft swinging movement thereof; secondary locking means operably connected with said components for locking and unlocking said components; said rock bar and said secondary locking means including cooperating means cooperating to operably connect said rock bar to said secondary locking means whereby said fore and aft swinging movement of said rock bar effects locking and unlocking movement in said secondary locking means.

Claim 3

A locking system for the drawers, doors or like components of a desk, cabinet or like articles of furniture, said locking system comprising: an elongated rock bar mounted in said article of furniture for fore and aft movement; lock means operably connected to said rock bar for controlling the fore and aft movement thereof; secondary locking means operably connected with said compOnents for locking and unlocking said components; said rock bar and said secondary locking means including cooperating means cooperating to operably connect said rock bar to said secondary locking means whereby said fore and aft movement of said rock bar effects locking and unlocking movement in said secondary locking means; said secondary locking means including linkage means having a free end positioned generally adjacent said rock bar; said rock bar including receiving means releasably receiving said free end of said linkage means; said receiving means in said rock bar including an aperture therein; said locking system including holding means secured to said article of furniture independently of said rock bar for holding said linkage up with its said free end positioned within said aperture.

Claim 4

A locking system for the drawers, doors or like components of a desk, cabinet or like articles of furniture, said locking system comprising: an elongated rock bar mounted in said article of furniture for fore and aft movement; lock means operably connected to said rock bar for controlling the fore and aft movement thereof; secondary locking means operably connected with said compOnents for locking and unlocking said components; said rock bar and said secondary locking means including cooperating means cooperating to operably connect said rock bar to said secondary locking means whereby said fore and aft movement of said rock bar effects locking and unlocking movement in said secondary locking means; said secondary locking means including linkage means having a free end positioned generally adjacent said rock bar; said rock bar including receiving means releasably receiving said free end of said linkage means; said receiving means in said rock bar including an aperture therein; said locking system including holding means secured to said article of furniture independently of said rock bar for holding said linkage up with its said free end positioned within said aperture.

Claim 5

The locking system of claim 2 in which said holding means comprises a clip; said article of furniture including a clip receiving aperture into which said clip is releasably received whereby said clip can be removed from said clip receiving aperture to thereby allow said linkage to fall free of said rock bar.

Claim 6

The locking system of claim 2 in which said linkage comprises an elongated rod; said holding means comprising a bracket mounted in said article, said rod passing through said bracket; said bracket being spaced from said rock bar whereby a substantial portion of said rod extends between said bracket and said rock bar, said portion of said rod being sufficiently flexible that it can be flexed downwardly to thereby facilitate removal of its free end from said aperture in said rock bar, but whereby it is biased upwardly into said aperture.

Claim 7

The locking system of claim 1 in which said lock means includes a movable actuator; a bell crank pivotally mounted to said article of furniture and pivotally connected to said actuator and said rock bar whereby activation of said lock means activates said movable actuator, which, in turn, rotates said bell crank which, in turn, moves said rock bar in a fore and aft direction.

Claim 8

The locking system of claim 5 in which said rock bar includes a slot; said bell crank including a pin; said bell crank being pivotally joined to said rock bar by means of said pin being received in said slot in said rock bar, said slot being sufficiently long to allow freedom of movement of said bell crank without binding.

Claim 9

The locking system of claim 6 in which said rock bar comprises an elongated tubular member; said tubular member including a bell crank opening therein whereby said bell crank passes into said tubular member for pivotal connection thereto.

Claim 10

A locking system for drawers, doors or like components of a desk, cabinet or like articles of furniture, said article of furniture having a top, said locking system comprising: an elongated rock bar pivotally suspended from said top of said article of furniture for fore and aft swinging movement; lock means operably connected to said rock bar for controlling the fore and aft movement thereof; secondary locking means operably connected with said components for locking and unlocking said components; said rock bar including a plurality of receiving means at different locations along the length of said rock bar, each of said receiving means being adapted to releasably cooperate with said secondary lock means whereby said secondary lock means and its respective components can be located at one of a plurality of locations along the length of said rock bar; said secondary lock means including means cooperating with one of said receiving means to thereby operably connect said secondary locking means to said rock bar whereby said fore and aft movement of said rock bar effects locking and unlocking movement in said secondary locking means.

Claim 11

A locking system for drawers, doors or like components of a desk, cabinet or like articles of furniture, said article of furniture having a top, said locking system comprising: an elongated rock bar pivotally suspended from said top of said article of furniture for fore and aft swinging movement; lock means operably connected to said rock bar for controlling the fore and aft movement thereof; secondary locking means operably connected with said components for locking and unlocking said components; said rock bar including a plurality of receiving means at different locations along the length of said rock bar, each of said receiving means being adapted to releasably cooperate with said secondary lock means whereby said secondary lock means and its respective components can be located at one of a plurality of locations along the length of said rock bar; said secondary lock means including means cooperating with one of said receiving means to thereby operably connect said secondary locking means to said rock bar whereby said fore and aft movement of said rock bar effects locking and unlocking movement in said secondary locking means.

Claim 12

The locking system of claim 8 in which said component to be locked is positioned within a compartment, said compartment being joined to said top of said article of furniture; said secondary lock means including a linkage having a free end generally adjacent Said rock bar, said free end comprising said means cooperating with said receiving means to operably connect said secondary locking means with said rock bar; said receiving means comprising an aperture into which said free end of said linkage extends; said system including holding means holding said linkage up with said end in said aperture.

Claim 13

The locking system of claim 9 in which said holding means comprises a bracket mounted to the top of said component; said linkage comprising an elongated rod passing through said bracket; said bracket being positioned such that a substantial portion of said rod passes between said bracket in said rock bar; said portion of said linkage having sufficient resilient flexibility whereby said linkage can be flexed downwardly and thereby removed from said aperture in said rock bar, but is biased upwardly into engagement in said aperture in said rock bar.

Claim 14

The locking system of claim 8 in which a shroud enshrouds said rock bar, said shroud being joined to said top; said secondary locking means including linkage means having a free end generally adjacent said rock bar; said receiving means in said rock bar comprising an aperture, said system including holding means holding said linkage up with said free end in said aperture; said holding means comprising a clip; said shroud including a clip receiving aperture for releasably receiving said clip whereby said clip can be inserted into and held in said clip receiving aperture or can be removed therefrom.

Claim 15

The locking system of claim 11 in which said clip comprises a piece of wire having resilient spring-like properties formed into a closed loop, said linkage passing through said loop; said loop including an inward deviation at each side thereof for seating on opposite sides of said clip receiving aperture in said shroud.

Claim 16

The locking system of claim 12 in which said components are positioned within a compartment; said compartment being mounted to said top with the top of said compartment abutting against said shroud; said compartment including a top having a pair of spaced holes therein defining a bridge therebetween; said clip wire passing through each of said holes and being closed at its top whereby when said clip wire is removed from said clip receiving aperture in said shroud, it is held generally at the top of said compartment by said bridge.

Claim 17

The locking system of claim 8 including a shroud mounted to said top around said rock bar, thereby enshrouding said rock bar to prevent access thereto, said shroud including apertures located generally at each of said receiving means; said secondary lock means including a portion passing through said apertures in said shroud to facilitate operable connections of said secondary lock means to said rock bar.

Claim 18

The locking system of claim 14 in which said component and said secondary locking system are mounted in a compartment, said compartment being secured to said article of furniture generally below said shroud; said compartment including a top wall positioned generally in abutting relationship with respect to the bottom wall of said shroud; said top wall of the compartment including an aperture through which a portion of said secondary locking means passes, said aperture being generally adjacent an aperture in said shroud; said top wall including a security ridge projecting upwardly therefrom generally in front of said aperture and said portion of said secondary locking means which passes through said aperture, said shroud including an upward deviation therein defining a relief conforming generally in configuration to said security ridge whereby said security ridge projects upwardly to a point at least in line with generally the bottom wall of said shroud whereby insertion of a tool into the space between said shroud and said top wall of said compartment is prevented.

Claim 19

The locking system of claim 8 in which said lock means includes a movable actuator; a bell crank pivotally mounted to said article of furniture and pivotalLy connected to said actuator and said rock bar whereby activation of said lock means activates said movable actuator, which in turn rotates said bell crank which in turn moves said rock bar in a fore and aft direction.

Claim 20

The locking system of claim 16 in which said rock bar includes a slot; said bell crank including a pin; said bell crank being pivotally joined to said rock bar by means of said pin being received in said slot in said rock bar, said slot being sufficiently long to allow freedom of movement of said bell crank without binding.

Claim 21

The locking system of claim 17 in which said rock bar comprises an elongated tubular member; said tubular member including a bell crank opening therein whereby said bell crank passes into said tubular member for pivotal connection thereto.

Claim 22

The locking system of claim 18 in which said rock bar includes at least a pair of spaced hooks projecting upwardly therefrom; said top including a flange having a slot therein for each said hook; each said hook being positioned within each said slot to thereby suspend said rock bar from said flange.

Claim 23

The locking system of claim 19 in which said slot is sufficiently long to allow said hook to be inserted thereinto; stop means being releasably secured to said flange generally adjacent said hook for preventing removal of said hook after it has been inserted into said slot.

Claim 24

The locking system of claim 8 in which said rock bar includes at least a pair of spaced hooks projecting upwardly therefrom; said top including a flange having a slot therein for each said hook; each said hook being positioned within each said slot to thereby suspend said rock bar from said flange.

Claim 25

The locking system of claim 21 in which said slot is sufficiently long to allow said hook to be inserted thereinto; stop means being releasably secured to said flange generally adjacent said hook for preventing removal of said hook after it has been inserted into said slot.