Electrically controlled, electrically encoded push-button combination lock

Claim 2

Electrically controlled, electrically encoded push-button combination lock comprising a locking means (4) normally in locked condition; a plurality of push-button switches (7, 77); an encoding circuit (13, 53) connected to the push-button switches providing an output permitting unlocking of the locking means if, and only if, the sequence of operation of the plurality of pushbutton switches conforms to a code contained in the encoding circuit; and comprising the combination of a source of operating power (12); a timing circuit (50, 51, 53') connected to a selected one of the push-button switches (77e) which, in accordance with the code, is the first one to be operated, said timing circuit also being connected to said source of operating power (12) and being energized thereby upon operation of said selected one of the push-button switches to start a timing interval and to remain energized during said timing interval only; said timing circuit further controlling energization and de-energization of the encoding circuit (13, 53) by, and from said source of operating power to permit affecting the encoding circuit on subsequent operation of the push-button switches, said timing circuit, after elapse of said timing interval, deenergizing said encoding circuit to leave said lock in locked condition.

Claim 3

Lock according to claim 1, further including electromagnetic operating means (19, 19';59) connected to said timing circuit (50, 51, 53') and energizable by said timing circuit during said timing interval only and if the code associated with the lock has been entered into the encoding circuit (13, 53).

Claim 4

Lock according to claim 1, wherein said timing circuit comprises a capacitor (51) connectable by said selected push-button switch (77e) to said source of operating power (12) to be charged thereby upon momentary operation of said selected one of said push-button switches, the charge on the capacitor providing the energy to enable operation of said encoding circuit.

Claim 5

Lock according to claim 2, wherein said timing circuit comprises a capacitor (51) connectable by said selected push-button switch (77e) to said source of operating power (12) to be charged thereby upon momentary operation of said selected one of said push-button switches, the charge on the capacitor providing the energy to affect said encoding circuit, and providing energy to said electromagnetic operating means (19, 19'; 59) if the code entered into the encoding circuit (13, 53) is the code associated with the specific lock.

Claim 6

Lock according to claim 1, further including a housing (1), said housing providing a support for said source of operating power (12), the plurality of push-button switches (7, 77) and the encoding circuit (13, 53); electromagnetic operating means (19, 19'; 59) controlled by said encoding circuit located within the housing; and manual operating means (8, 15) engageable with said locking means (4) secured to said housing.

Claim 7

Lock according to claim 1, further including electromagnetic operating means (19, 19'; 59) controlled by said encoding circuit (13, 53) and permitting operation of said lock to unlocked position upon proper coded operation of said plurality of push-button switches in accordance with the code, said electromagnetic operating means being energizable from energy supplied by said source of operating power (12) during the timing interval defined by said timing circuit (50, 51, 53').

Claim 8

Lock according to claim 6, wherein said electromagnetic operating means includes a solenoid (19, 19'), an armature in electromagnetic coupled relation with said solenoid; means (23, 32) interlocking operation of said armature of said solenoid and said locking means (4) to prevent operation of said locking means; and override means (15, 28, 29, 30; 34-39) engageable with the armature (21) and moving the armature in magnetically attracted position independently of energization of said solenoid.

Claim 9

Lock according to claim 7, further including a manual operating knob (8) engageable with said locking means (4), the armature (21) forming a coupling element between said locking means and said knob.

Claim 10

Lock according to claim 8, wherein said solenoid (19) is movably mounted on the locking means (4); said means to prevent operation of the locking means includes a cam disk (23), the armature being engageable with a portion of the cam disk if (a) the solenoid is energized, or (b) said override means is operated.

Claim 11

Lock according to claim 7, wherein the locking means (4') is formed with a notch, the armature (21') being engageable in the notch and locking said locking means unless the armature is attracted by the solenoid (19').

Claim 12

Lock according to claim 7, wherein said override means includes a rotary element (28) formed with a camming surface (29, 30) selectively engageable with, or releasing said armature from a position simulating magnetic attraction of said armature by the solenoid (19).

Claim 13

Lock according to claim 7, wherein said override means comprises a second electromagnetic means (34-37) including a second solenoid (34) and a second armature (36), the second armature being positioned to be in operative engagement with the armature (21') of said operating electromagnetic means (19'-21').

Claim 14

Lock according to claim 12, wherein the second electromagnetic means includes a return spring (37) acting on the second armature (36), the second armature (36), when de-energized, being positioned with respect to the armature (21') of said electromagnetic operating means (19'-21') to hold said operating armature (21') in the position which the armature (21') has when its associated solenoid (19') is energized and said operating armature (21'), when energized, then permitting movement of the second armature (36) to its rest, de-energized position, the operating armature (21') permitting selective control of the locking means (4') by a manual operating knob if said armature (21') is (a) attracted due to energization of its solenoid (19') upon proper operation of the encoding push-button switches (7, 77) within said timing interval, and (b) (i) if said second magnet is de-energized, said operating armature (21' ) being retained in the position after elapse of the timing interval but (ii) upon energization of the second solenoid (34) of the second electromagnetic means (34-37), said operating armature (21') reverting to its rest position, thus engaging the locking means and preventing movement thereof to unlocked position unless the encoding circuit (13, 53) is properly operated to conform to the code contained therein.

Claim 15

Locking system including a plurality of locks, each according to claim 12, further including a central station (C) and common connection means (60, 61, 62) to at least one of said solenoid coils (19', 34) of said plurality of locks to provide for common control thereof.

Claim 16

Electrically controlled, electrically encoded pushbutton combination lock comprising a locking means (4) normally in locked condition; a plurality of push-button switches (7, 77); an encoding circuit (13, 53) connected to the push-button switches providing an output permitting unlocking of the locking means if, and only if, the sequence of operation of the plurality of push-button switches conforms to a code contained in the encoding circuit; a source of operating power (12) for energization of the encoding circuit (13, 53) to permit affecting the encoding circuit on subsequent operation of the push-button switches (7, 77); and comprising, in accordance with the invention, electromagnetic operating means (19, 19'; 59) controlled by said encoding circuit (13, 53) and permitting operation of said lock to unlocked position upon proper coded operation of said plurality of push-buttons in accordance with the code, said electromagnetic operating means being energizable from energy supplied by said source of operating power (12); said electromagnetic operating means including a solenoid (19, 19'), an armature in electromagnetic coupled relation with said solenoid; means (23, 32) interlocking operation of said armature of said solenoid and said locking means (4) to prevent operation of said locking means; and override means (15, 28, 29, 30; 34-39) engageable with the armature (21) and moving the armature in magnetically attracted position independently of energization of said solenoid.

Claim 17

Electrically controlled, electrically encoded pushbutton combination lock comprising a locking means (4) normally in locked condition; a plurality of push-button switches (7, 77); an encoding circuit (13, 53) connected to the push-button switches providing an output permitting unlocking of the locking means if, and only if, the sequence of operation of the plurality of push-button switches conforms to a code contained in the encoding circuit; a source of operating power (12) for energization of the encoding circuit (13, 53) to permit affecting the encoding circuit on subsequent operation of the push-button switches (7, 77); and comprising, in accordance with the invention, electromagnetic operating means (19, 19'; 59) controlled by said encoding circuit (13, 53) and permitting operation of said lock to unlocked position upon proper coded operation of said plurality of push-buttons in accordance with the code, said electromagnetic operating means being energizable from energy supplied by said source of operating power (12); said electromagnetic operating means including a solenoid (19, 19'), an armature in electromagnetic coupled relation with said solenoid; means (23, 32) interlocking operation of said armature of said solenoid and said locking means (4) to prevent operation of said locking means; and override means (15, 28, 29, 30; 34-39) engageable with the armature (21) and moving the armature in magnetically attracted position independently of energization of said solenoid.

Claim 18

Lock according to claim 15, further including a manual operating knob (8) engageable with said locking means (4), the armature (21) forming a coupling element between said locking means and said knob.

Claim 19

Lock according to claim 16, wherein said solenoid (19) is movably mounted on the locking means (4); said means to prevent operation of the locking means includes a cam disk (23), the armature being engageable with a portion of the cam disk if (a) the solenoid is energized, or (b) said override means is operated.

Claim 20

Lock according to claim 15, wherein the locking means (4) is formed with a notch, the armature (21') being engageable in the notch and locking said locking means unless the armature is attracted by the solenoid (19').

Claim 21

Lock according to claim 15, wherein said override means includes a rotary element (28) formed with a camming surface (29, 30) selectively engageable with, or releasing said armature from a position simulating magnetic attraction of said armature by the solenoid (19).

Claim 22

Lock according to claim 15, wherein said override means comprises a second electromagnetic means (34-37) including a second solenoid (34) and a second armature (36), the second armature being positioned to be in operative engagement with the armature (21') of said operating electromagnetic means (19'-21').

Claim 23

Lock according to claim 20, wherein the second electromagnetic means includes a return spring (37) acting on the second armature (36), the second armature (36), when de-energized, being positioned with respect to the armature (21') of said electromagnetic operating means (19'-21') to hold said operating armature (21') in the position which the armature (21') has when its associated solenoid (19') is energized and said operating armature (21'), when energized, then permitting movement of the second armature (36) to its rest, de-energized position, the operating armature (21') permitting selective control of the locking means (4) by a manual operating knob if said armature (21') is (a) attracted due to energization of its solenoid (19') upon proper operation of the encoding push-button switches (7, 77), and (b) (i) if said second magnet is de-energized, said operating armature (21') being retained in the position but (ii) upon energization of the second solenoid (34) of the second electromagnetic means (34-37), said operating armature (21') reverting to its rest position, thus engaging the locking means and preventing movement thereof to unlocked position unless the encoding circuit (13, 53) is properly operated to conform to the code contained therein.

Claim 24

Locking system including a plurality of locks, each according to claim 20, further including a central station (C) and common connection means (60, 61, 62) to at least one of said solenoid coils (19', 34) of said plurality of locks to provide for common control thereof.

Claim 25

Lock according to claim 16, further including a housing (1), said housing providing a support for said source of operating power (12), the plurality of push-button switches (7, 77), the encoding circuit (13, 53), said electromagnetic operating means (19, 19'; 59), and said manual operating means (8) engageable with said locking means.

Claim 26

Lock according to claim 1 including a support plate at the side of said push button switches (7, 77); and emergency electrical connections (10, 11) on said support plate to provide operating power from an external battery power source in case of failure of said source of operating power (12).

Claim 27

Lock according to claim 4 wherein said emergency electrical connections comprise polarized button contacts.

Claim 28

Lock according to claim 15 including a support plate at the side of said push button switches (7, 77); and emergency electrical connections (10, 11) on said support plate to provide operating power from an external battery power source in case of failure of said source of operating power (12).

Claim 29

Lock according to claim 26 wherein said emergency electrical connections comprise polarized button contacts.