US4671086A — Redundant electrically controlled locking apparat…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 208 words

System for releasing a locking arrangement for a closure member in response to electrical control means, comprising: a housing; a pair of first and second piston cylinder assemblies facing one another and disposed in alignment with one another within said housing for actuating alternatingly in response to the control means, said assemblies having reciprocatively mounted plungers for moving extensively toward and away from one another along a rectilinear path of travel; shuttle means slidably mounted within said housing and connected on opposite sides thereof to the distal ends of said plungers to move toward an actuated one of said assemblies; locking roller means; locking cam means disposed on said shuttle means for receiving said locking roller means to position it partially outwardly of said housing within a side opening therein; a pair of first and second unlocking cam means disposed on opposite sides of said locking cam means for enabling said roller means to move inwardly of said housing when either one of said assemblies is activated; and the locking arrangement includes a locking mechanism having a slide member adapted to be moved manually for releasing the closure member, said slide member having means defining an opening therein for receiving said roller means to lock the closure member.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 208 words

System for releasing a locking arrangement for a closure member in response to electrical control means, comprising: a housing; a pair of first and second piston cylinder assemblies facing one another and disposed in alignment with one another within said housing for actuating alternatingly in response to the control means, said assemblies having reciprocatively mounted plungers for moving extensively toward and away from one another along a rectilinear path of travel; shuttle means slidably mounted within said housing and connected on opposite sides thereof to the distal ends of said plungers to move toward an actuated one of said assemblies; locking roller means; locking cam means disposed on said shuttle means for receiving said locking roller means to position it partially outwardly of said housing within a side opening therein; a pair of first and second unlocking cam means disposed on opposite sides of said locking cam means for enabling said roller means to move inwardly of said housing when either one of said assemblies is activated; and the locking arrangement includes a locking mechanism having a slide member adapted to be moved manually for releasing the closure member, said slide member having means defining an opening therein for receiving said roller means to lock the closure member.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

System according to claim 1, wherein each one of said piston cylinder assemblies includes an electrical solenoid.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

System according to claim 1, wherein the locking roller means is shaped and dimensioned to fit loosely within the side opening to enable the locking cam means to position the locking roller means partially outwardly of the housing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

System according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes an elongated tube, and said tube is rectangular in cross-section throughout its length.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

System according to claim 4, wherein said shuttle means includes a block having said cam means disposed in the side thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

System according to claim 1, further comprising: spring biasing means for biasing the shuttle in a central locked position when neither one of the piston cylinder assemblies is actuated.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 87 words

System according to claim 6, wherein the spring biasing means comprises: a first spring mounted between the first piston cylinder assembly and the shuttle; and a second spring mounted between the second piston cylinder assembly and the shuttle, the second spring being shaped and dimensioned to exert a slightly larger force against the shuttle than the first spring to offset the combined weight of the shuttle and plungers and bias the shuttle in a central locked position when neither one of the piston cylinder assemblies is actuated.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

System according to claim 1, further including position sensing means for detecting when said roller means is properly engaging said locking cam means to generate a signal for the control circuit.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

System according to claim 8, wherein the position sensing means comprises: the shuttle having a portion defining an opening; and detecting means for detecting when the opening is in a position corresponding to the shuttle being in a central locked position.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

System according to claim 9, wherein the detecting means includes light emitting means and light detector means mounted on the housing in positions on opposite sides of the opening.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 200 words

System for enabling electrically the release of a locking arrangement, which comprises: a shuttle member movably mounted to enable generally rectilinear movement of the shuttle adjacent to a selected locking arrangement between an intermediate locked position and a pair of first and second unlocked positions on opposing sides of the locked position, the shuttle member including locking means for preventing release of the locking arrangement when the shuttle member is in the locked position and unlocking means for enabling the release of the locking arrangement when the shuttle member is in either one of the first and second unlocked positions; biasing means for urging resiliently the shuttle into the locked position; first means responsive to a first control signal for moving the shuttle member selectively in opposition to the biasing means from the locked position to the first unlocked position; second means responsive to a second control signal for moving the shuttle member selectively in opposition to the biasing means from the locked position to the second unlocked position; and means for supplying said first and said second control signals alternatingly to the respective first and second means each time a correct attempt is made to release said locking arrangement.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 200 words

System for enabling electrically the release of a locking arrangement, which comprises: a shuttle member movably mounted to enable generally rectilinear movement of the shuttle adjacent to a selected locking arrangement between an intermediate locked position and a pair of first and second unlocked positions on opposing sides of the locked position, the shuttle member including locking means for preventing release of the locking arrangement when the shuttle member is in the locked position and unlocking means for enabling the release of the locking arrangement when the shuttle member is in either one of the first and second unlocked positions; biasing means for urging resiliently the shuttle into the locked position; first means responsive to a first control signal for moving the shuttle member selectively in opposition to the biasing means from the locked position to the first unlocked position; second means responsive to a second control signal for moving the shuttle member selectively in opposition to the biasing means from the locked position to the second unlocked position; and means for supplying said first and said second control signals alternatingly to the respective first and second means each time a correct attempt is made to release said locking arrangement.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

System as recited in claim 11, further comprising: electrical control means for alternatingly actuating each of the pair of the electromechanical devices.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

System as recited in claim 11, further comprising: position sensing means for detecting when the shuttle is in the locked position.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 52 words

System as recited in claim 13, wherein the position sensing means includes light emitting means and light detector means mounted adjacent the shuttle member in position straddling an opening in the shuttle member for sensing when the opening is in a position corresponding to the shuttle member being in the locked position.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

System as recited in claim 11, wherein the locking means includes: a roller; and locking cam means disposed on the shuttle member for positioning the roller in a position disabling the locking arrangement.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

System as recited in claim 15, wherein the unlocking means includes a pair of first and second unlocking cams disposed on opposite sides of the locking cam for enabling the roller to move from the position disabling the locking arrangement to a position enabling release of the locking arrangement.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

System as recited in claim 11, wherein the moving means associated with a first one of the pair of electromechanical devices includes means for selectively moving the shuttle member in a first direction and the moving means associated with a second one of the pair of electromechanical devices includes means for moving the shuttle member in a second direction.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 18 words

System as recited in claim 17, wherein the first direction and second direction are generally opposite one another.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 23 words

System as recited in claim 18, wherein the pair of electromechanical devices comprise a pair of electrical solenoids mounted in opposing face-to-face relation.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-06-08	1990-12-08	1991-06-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-06-08	1994-12-08	1995-06-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-06-08	1998-12-08	1999-06-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Redundant electrically controlled locking apparatus

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