US2251146A - Key operated reset for combination locks - Google Patents

Description

July 29, I941. H. MACH|NIST KEY OPERATED RESET FOR COMBINATION LOCKS Filed A ril 50,1940

Ail V 9/4/1 w z/ezzz or jr oZaiWacakdsZ Patented July 29, 1941 OFFICE KEY GPERATED RESET FOR COMBINATION LOCKS Haroid Machinist, Chicago, 111., assignor to Dudley Lock Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of lllinois Claims.

This invention is concerned with locks of the type which include a permutation mechanism, hereinafter called a combination mechanism, through which the bolt or locking member is operable, together with a key-operated mechanism for independently actuating such locking member. One object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable mechanism of sturdy construction, designed for economical production. Another object is to provide a lock structure in which the locking member may be operated either by the combination alone or by means of the key alone, each method of operation being wholly independent of the other. A further object is to provide means controlled by the keyoperated mechanism and adjustable for altering the position of the dial relative to the permutation mechanism so that the effective operating combination may be altered at will. The invention consists of certain features and elements in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the axis of the key-operated mechanism and showing the internal structure of a lock embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially as indicated at line 22 on Figure 1 omitting the front wall of the case and showing portions of the combination mechanism and also portions of the key-operated mechanism.

Figure 3 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 33 on Figure 1, showing the parts in position at which the operating knob is locked in operative relation to the combination mechanism.

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially at the same plane as Figure 3 but showing the knob disconnected temporarily from the combination mechanism in the process of changing the combination.

Figure 5 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 55 on Figure 1, showing the tumbler of the key-operated lock which limits movement of the latter in the process of changing the com bination of the permutation mechanism.

Figure 6 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 66 on Figure 1, showing the tumbler of the key plug which limits movement of the latter in actuating the bolt.

The lock which is the subject of this invention is adapted for various types of closures, such as lockers, wall safes, cupboards or cabinet drawers. As illustrated, the lock mechanism is contained in a case I of rectangular outline, having flanges 2, 2 at opposite ends for securement against the rear face of a door or other closure, such as that indicated as a thickness of sheet metal at 3 in Figure 1. A face plate 4 is applied to the outer face of the door panel 3 and has a rotatable knob 5 which may include a graduated dial portion 6 associated with it. The knob is formed with a central opening I to admit a key for actuation of the bolt 8 independently of the combination mechanism, or to admit a special key employed in changing the combination of said mechanism. The bolt 8 is slidably carried in the case by a plate 9 which may be integral with the bolt, or may comprise a portion of it, and which is guided between the end walls Ill, 10 of the case for movement sufiicient to project the bolt through a suitable opening in the Wall ll of the case, or withdraw it to a position substantially flush with that wall.

Within the case I, and spaced from the back wall l2, a partition plate l3 provides a surface upon which the plate 9 is slidably carried. Extending forwardly from the partition 13, and anchored therein, is a bearing sleeve M which serves to journal the spindle 56 which operates the bolt through a key mechanism, as hereinafter described; and this sleeve 14 also serves as a bearing for the tumbler disks l5, l6 and ll of the permutation mechanism. These disks are separated by the usual spacing washers l8, and are interengageable with each other by means of lugs l9 which project from adjacent faces of the tumbler disks. The outer disk I1 is formed with a hub 20, which is journaled in an opening in the front wall l2 of the case, and

which has notches 2i interengaged with lugs 22 of a drive member 23 whose function is to transmit rotation from the knob 5 to the permutation disks, in a manner about to be described.

Within the knob 5 there is mounted the cylindrical casing 30 and the key plug 3| of a keycontrolled cylinder lock. The casing 3B'includes a rear wall 32, with lugs 33 projecting therefrom for interconnection with notches 34 in the outer ends of the bearing sleeve I4, so that the casing The lock cylinder 3| is formed with a transverse slot 35 at its inner end, to engage driving lugs 36 on the head 31 of a driving stud 35, which includes flat-faced portions 39 inter-engaged with the flattened outer end 5!) of the spindle 55, so that rotation of the plug 3| transmitted through the driving stud 38 serves to turn the spindle 55. Such rotation of the plug 3| is normally accomplished by means of a proper key inserted therein which operates to rotate the spindle 55, and with it the arm 42 which bears against the edge 43 of a cam-shaped opening in the plate 40. This opening is so formed that rotation of the spindle 50 and its arm 42 operates to slide the plate lEl within the casing, and this sliding movement in one direction is transmitted by a stop lug 44 and pawl 25 to the bolt plate 9 for projecting the bolt 8 to the position indicated in Figure 2. Return movement of the plate M], which may be accomplished by the reverse rotation ofthe spindle 50, causes the upstanding stop lug 44 to engage a shoulder 45 which is the end of a slot 46 in the plate 9, for withdrawing the bolt.

The pawl 25, which is connected to the plate 9 by a pivot 26, is urged by spring 21 into contact with the peripheries of the disk tumblers [5, I5 and H, as seen in Figure 2. These tumblers are notched, as at 28, to receive the nose of the pawl 25 when the tumblers are adjusted in their bolt-releasing position, but, except when thus adjusted, the tumblers hold the pawl in engagement with the stop lug 44 upstanding in the casing I from the plate 45]. The tumblers l5, l5 and H are adjusted in the usual manner, by rotation of the tumbler l'l transmitted to tumbler l6 and thence to tumbler l5 by way of the lugs l9, stopping with the notch of tumbler l5 adjusted in registration with the nose of the pawl 25. Reverse rotation is then employed to adjust tumbler [5 with its notch similarly registered, and the final rotative adjustment of the tumbler ll brings its notch 28into registration so that the nose of the pawl 25 is forced into the notches by spring 21, and further rotation of the tumblers serves to withdraw the bolt 8 from its projected position. These rotative adjustments of the tumblers are accomplished by means of the knob 5 mounted on the external face of the closure 3 and interconnected with the tumbler l1 by means of a drive member 23. Said drive member is engaged with the knob 5 through the me dium of a clutch element in the form of a ball 55 which is captive in an aperture 29 formed in the annular portion of the drive member 23 which surrounds the inner end of the cylindrical lock casing 35. The interior surface of the knob 5 is formed with a series of spaced pockets 5|, any one of which is adapted to receive a substantial portion of the ball 55 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 for interlocking the knob 5 with the drive member 23, and thus connecting it operatively with the tumbler I! and other elements of the combination mechanism. The

control member, in the form of a second ball,

55, normally rests on the cylindrical periphery of the head 31 of the driving stud 38, and thus holds the clutch ball 55 in operative position.

When it is desired to change the eifective combination of positions to which the knob 5 must be turned to actuate the lock mechanism through the combination tumblers 15, I5 and H, a special reset key is inserted in the plug 3! and is operated to turn the plug through a limited-angle, about degrees as indicated in Figures 4 and 5, thus bringing into registration with the control ball 56 a recess 41 in the head 31' of the driving stud; and this recess 47 is of such depth as to permit the balls 56 and 55 to move toward the axis of the knob 5 by a distance sufficient to disengage the ball 55 from the pocket 5| which it occupies. This allows the knob 5 to be shifted angularly to bring any other one of the pockets 5| into registration with the ball 55, whereupon reverse rotation of the special reset key will turn the plug 3| back to normal position, rotating the stud 38 so as to force the ball 55 out of the pocket 51 and onto the cylindrical periphery of the head 37, thus shifting the ball 55 outwardly into clutching position with the registered pocket 5i. Preferably, this reset movement of the plug 3! is arranged to take place in the opposite direction from that in which the plug is normally turned by its regular key for actuating the spindle 50 in withdrawing the bolt 8, and since a half revolution is ordinarily sufficient for this purpose the pocket 41 in the head 31 of the drive spindle will not be registered with the ball 56 during such key operation of the lock. Accordingly, the clutch connection between the combination mechanism and the knob 5 will not be disturbed by the normal key operation, but only when the special reset key is employed to turn the lug 3| in reverse direction and through a limited angle, as already described.

The key plug SI of the cylinder lock includes the usual sliding tumblers 60 which project into suitable grooves 6! in the casing 30, and which are withdrawn from such grooves by insertion of the regular key so as to permit rotation of the plug 3!. The reset key, however, is arranged so that one tumbler 62 is left projecting and the casing 30 is formed with an arcuate clearance groove 53 which only permits rotation of the plug 3| in reverse direction, and only to the limited extent necessary for registration of the pocket 47 with the ball 58, as described. It is preferable, of course, to arrange it so that when the plug is operated by the regular or proper key for actuating the bolt, it shall not be turned far enough to register the recess 41 with the control ball 56, and thus release the knob 5 so that it might be either mischievously or inadvertently shifted to change the combination. Therefore, I prefer to cut the regular key so that it shall leave the tumbler 64 projecting; a clearance groove, 65, permitting substantially degrees rotation of the plug, is then provided in the casing and positioned to register with the tumbler 64. This arrangement prevents rotation of the plug in reverse direction from its initial position, and limits its rotation to such an angle that when operated by the regular key it cannot possibly interfere with the locked condition of the knob 5.

With this arrangement it is a simple matter, requiring only a few seconds to change the operative combination of the permutation disks by shifting the knob 5 in relation to the first tumbler disk l1, and reconnecting it in the new relation, as already described. No disassembly or dismantling of the lock is required, and therefore the original operative arrangement of the parts is left undisturbed. At the same time, the chance of mischievous tampering with the combination, and altering it, is minimized, since a special reset key, suitable for operating the relatively safe cylinder lock, must be employed for releasing the knob 5 from its original position and shifting it to a new one.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and re-arrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the same is not limited to the particular form herein shown and described, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, together with a clutch control member movable in the casing by rotation of a cam operated by the key plug and disposed for releasing the clutch means to disconnect the knob from the combination mechanism and permit resetting said knob in relation thereto.

2. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said casing of the cylinder lock being fixed, an annular drive member rotatable around the casing and connected with the combination mechanism, a clutch element carried by the drive member and normally engaging the knob for transmitting rotation from the knob to the combination mechanism, and a clutch control member carried by the casing registerable with said clutch element and movable by a cam operated by rotation of the key plug for releasing the clutch member from the knob to permit resetting the latter in relation to the combination mechanism.

3. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said knob having a plurality of recesses spaced at intervals around an inner surface of the knob, and said clutch means comprising an annular member fitting within said surface and loosely supporting a separate clutch element formed to engage any of said recesses, the casing of the cylinder lock fitting within said annular member and normally supporting said clutch element in engagement with a recess, said lock casing having an opening registerable with said clutch element, and means controllable by rotation of the key plug in its casing to cause said clutch element to enter said opening and withdraw from the recess of the knob, thus freeing the knob for rotative adjustment to alter its relation to the combination mechanism.

4. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said independent means being operable by rotation of the key plug in one direction, and a clutch control device operable by rotation of the key plug through a limited angle in the opposite direction for releasing the knob from the combination mechanism to permit resetting said knob in relation thereto,

5. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, together with a clutch control device operable by rotation of the key plug in its casing for releasing the knob from the combination mechanism, and means limiting such rotation to an angle insufficient to actuate the independent operating means for the bolt.

6. Ina lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said independent means being operable by rotation of the key plug in one direction, and a clutch control device operable by rotation of the key plug in the opposite direction for releasing the knob from the combination mechanism to permit resetting said knob in relation thereto, together with means limiting rotation of the plug in the first mentioned direction to an angle insuificient to actuate the clutch control device.

7. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said independent means being operable by rotation of the key plug in a certain direction by means of a proper key, a clutch control device operable by rotation of the key plug in the opposite direction by means of a reset key for releasing the knob from the combination mechanism to permit resetting said knob in relation thereto; said plug including a tumbler which is left projecting when the plug is operated by said proper key and the casing having means to prevent rotation of the plug in said opposite direction.

8. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said independent means being operable by rotation of the key plug in a certain direction by means of a proper key, a clutch control device operable by rotation of the key plug in the opposite direction by means of a reset key for releasing the knob from the combination mechanism to permit resetting said knob in relation thereto; said plug including a tumbler which is left projecting when the plug is operated by said reset key, and the casing having means engageable by said tumbler to limit rotation of said plug to an angle insuflicient to actuate the independent operating means for the bolt.

9. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said knob having a plurality of recesses spaced at intervals around an inner surface of the knob, and said clutch means comprising an annular member fitting within said surface, and a clutch ball fitting in a hole in said annular member and engageable with any of said recesses, the casing of the cylinder lock fitting within said annular member and normally supporting said clutch ball in engagement with one of said recesses, said lock casing having an opening registerable with said clutch ball, and a member normally occupying said opening but controllable by rotation of the key plug in its casing and caused by such rotation to withdraw so that upon registration of said opening with the clutch ball said ball may enter the opening and withdraw from engagement with the recesses of the knob, thus freeing the knob for rotative adjustment to alter its relation to the combination mechanism.

10. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said knob having a plurality of recesses spaced at intervals around an inner surface of the knob, and said clutch means comprising an annular member fitting within said surface, and a clutch ball fitting in a hole in said annular member engageable with any of said recesses, the casing of the cylinder lock fitting within said annular member and normally supporting said clutch ball in engagement with one of said recesses, said lock casing having an opening registerable with said clutch ball, and a second ball normally occupying said opening in the casing, together with a cam rotatably engaged with the key plug within the casing opposite said opening and having a recess formed to receive said second ball when registered with the opening so that said opening is available to receive the clutch ball when registered therewith to permit said ball to withdraw from the recess of the knob, thus freeing the knob for rotative adjustment to alter its relation to the combination mechanism.

HAROLD MACHINIST.

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