US3254519A - Tumbler wheels for combination locks - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1966 G. 0. PAUL 3,254,519

TUMBLER WHEELS FOR COMBINATION LOCKS Filed Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I g 75 72 84 INVENTOR GEORGE D. DAL- BY %%5FNEYS United States Patent 3 254 519 TUMBLER WHEELS I ORCGMBINATION LOCKS George D. Paul, Rochester, N.Y., assignor t0 Sargent & greinleaf, Inc., Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Filed Feb. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 344,140 7 Claims. (Cl. 70323) The present invention relates in general to tumbler wheels for use in combination locks, and more particularly to key change type tumbler wheels of low density material especially designed to minimize the risk of compromise of the lock combination by radiography techniques involving the use of X-rays or other high energy radiation.

Locks of the type commonly referred to as combination locks depend for their operation upon the alignment of a plurality of disc-like rotary elements, commonly called tumbler wheels, in a preselected manner to permit retraction of a reciprocative bolt from its projected position. Each tumbler is provided with a peripheral recess, commonly termed a gate, designed to receive a bar or fence normally disposed in overlying relation with the tumbler wheel peripheries and extending from a fence lever which is pivoted or otherwise coupled to a bolt and controls movement of the latter. When the tumbler gates are all disposed in registry with each other and in preselected alignment with the fence, and a driving cam which effects angular adjustment of the tumbler Wheels through lost-motion connections and controls the fence lever is adjusted to a selected angular position, the fence may drop into the tumbler gates and permit such an interconnection of the fence lever with the driving cam that limited arcuate movement of the driving cam will impart movement to the fance lever to retract the bolt. The security of such locks is dependent upon the fact that the number of orders or permutations of the possible relative positions of the tumbler gates before all of the tumbler gates come into registry with the fence to permit retraction of the bolt is so large that the chance of these gates being aligned by a person not familiar with the combination is negligible.

In recent years, mechanical arrangements have been devised which are reasonably effective to protect the combination lock against mechanical manipulation thereof by unauthorized persons to surreptitiously detect the combination. However, various techniques have been developed in recent years for compromising the security of combination locks in safes and other security closures by the use of high-energy radiation. These have been variously termed radiography or radiological techniques and in general involve the production of pictures or other types of images of the lock Works by photographing highenergy radiation which has passed through the lock mechanism. With the developments made in portable radiation sources, unauthorized persons may enter on the premises containing a security container and by radiological methods determine the combination setting of the lock and secure unauthorized entry to the protected enclosure in a short time without leaving any evidence of compromise of the lock combination,

Various arrangements have been devised in an effort to protect combination locks against compromise of the combination by such radiographic techniques, including particularly the provision of radiant energy scattering devices disposed within the lock housing, especially in surrounding relation to the tumbler wheels, to elfect scattering of the penetrating radiation and thereby'confound the image or photograph produced by radiological techniques. Examples of such radiant energy scattering devices may be found in earlier U.S; Patents Nos. 2,970,217

and 3,024,640.

Patented June 7, 1966 In order to further insure protection against unauthorized persons obtaining a radiographic image which will permit observation of the angular locations of the tumbler gates despite the presence of such radiation scattering devices, it is desirable that thetumbler wheels, or at least the peripheral portions thereof, be formed of lower density material than the metallic materials conventionally employed in the construction of lock tumbler wheels, to minimize the production of X-ray or high energy radiation shadows which would reveal tumbler gate positions.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel tumbler Wheel construction for tumbler wheels of combination locks and the like wherein peripheral portions of the tumbler wheel having the fence gate therein are formed of low density material to minimize the production of penetrating radiation shadows therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel tumbler wheel for combination locks and the like of the changeable perimeter type wherein at least angularly adjustable perimeter portions of the tumbler wheel having the fence-receiving gate therein are wholly formed of low density material which minimizes production of radiographic images thereof.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel tumbler wheel for combination locks of the type described in the immediately preceding paragraph, wherein the tumbler Wheel is of the key changeable type.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel construction for key change type changeable tumbler wheels for combination locks, wherein the number of moving parts is significantly reduced, and wherein separate interconnecting flies and key washers normally provided in assemblies of tumbler Wheels in combination locks are eliminated.

Other objects, advantages, and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating several preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of one form of tumbler wheel embodying the present invention, with the tumbler wheel components disposed in locked position;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view taken from the same side as FIGURE 1, with the components in locked position, but with the cover disc removed to reveal the internal components of the tumbler wheel;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation with the cover disc re moved, similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrating the components in unlocked condition;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section view to enlarged scale taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view of a modified form of tumbler wheel with the cover disc removed to illustrate the internal construction thereof;

FIGURE 6 is an elevation view of another modified form of tumbler wheel with the cover disc removed;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation view of still another modified form of tumbler wheel construction embodying the present invention, with the components shown in locked condition;

FIGURE 8 is an elevation view of the construction illustrated in FIGURE 7 with the components in unlocked condition; and

FIGURE 9 is a bottom view of the tumbler wheel illustrated in FIGURE 7.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, and especially to the form shown in FIG- URES 1 to 4, inclusive, there is illustrated a tumbler 3 wheel embodying the principles of the invention. The specific tumbler wheel illustratedis particularly constructed to serve as the center tumbler and the rearmost tumbler (nearest the driving cam) in a pack of three coaxial tumblers for a conventional combination lock of the type where the dial spindle extends coaxially through the hollow post on which the tumblers are mounted and has a conventional drive cam on the rear end of the spindle from the forward surface of which an eccentric drive pin extends to engage and drive the rearmost tumbler, or in locks of this general type having additional facilities for preventing surreptitious operation such as US. Patent No. 2,575,674.

The tumbler wheel 10, in this preferred embodiment, comprises an annular hub member 11 having a cylindrical center opening 12 of appropriate diameter to fit over the usual boss or tumbler post of the lock case, an outer annular rib 13 of smaller axial width than the main body portion 14 of the hub 11 centered axially with respect to the latter and having a serrated outer periphery 15, and the body portion 14 having an annular groove 16 therein to face rearwardly of the pack toward the drive cam. The main body portion forming the base surface of the groove 16 is bored at one circumferential position to receive a drive pin 17 therethrough, having an enlarged head 17a at one end to lie within the groove 16 and a projecting shank portion 17b which is preferably surrounded by a sleeve 18 over the portion thereof exposed forwardly of the body portion 14 to form the drive pin to rotate the next forward tumbler wheel of the pack.

A fly 19 is fitted in the groove 16 for limited rotation to provide the desired lost-motion connection between successive tumbler wheels, and comprises a cylindrical inner rim portion 20 to rotatably seat against the inner side wall of the groove 16, a thin circular flange portion 21 adapted to lie against the base wall of the groove 16 having an arcuate recess 22 therein to receive the head 17a of the drive pin 17 and permit limited relative rotary movement of the fly 19 relative to the hub 11, and a raised stop formation 23 diametrically opposite the recess 22 against which the drive pin of the drive cam or adjacent tumbler wheel abuts to transfer driving movement thereto.

The outer annular rim portion of the tumbler wheel 10, generally indicated by the reference character 25, which is designed to be selectively angularly adjustable relative to the hub 11 to permit changing of the combination of the lock, is in this embodiment formed of a pair of molded annular-portions hereafter designated as the wheel case 26 and the wheel cover 27. Each of the wheel case 26 and wheel cover 27 in the preferred embodiment is molded from a low density plastic material, such as the commercially available plastic material known as Delrin acetal resin. The wheel case 26, as illustrated in the drawings, is in the general shape of an annular disk having an inner lip portion 28 corresponding substantially in axial thickness to the axial dimension of the annular rabbet 29 formed between one side of the annular rib 13 on hub 11 and the adjacent surface of the main body portion 14 of hub 11, the lip portion 28 bounding an annular central opening corresponding in diameter substantially to the diameter of the base surface of the rabbet 29. The wheel case 26 has a series of circumferentially spaced arcuate segments 30 lying radially outwardly of the lip 28 to overlie the serrated outer periphery 15 of the hub 11, the radially inwardly facing surfaces of the segments 30 being similarly serrated as indicated at 31 to interfit with the serrations 15 and lock the outer annular rim portion of the tumbler wheel against relative rotation with respect to thehub 11 when the segments are forced radially inwardly into interengagement with the serrated periphery 15 of the hub 11. The segments 30 are flexible enough by virtue of the characteristics of the plastic material from which the wheel case 26 is formed, to be moved from their normal position lying immediately outwardly of the hub serrations 15 to a condition of locking interengagement with the hub serrations 15.

The radially outer surfaces 32 of the locking segments 30 are preferably smooth arcuate surfaces, immediately outwardly of which is a circumferentially extending strap accommodating groove 33 formed in the main body portion of the wheel case 26. The surface 34 of the body portion 35 lying radially outwardly of the groove 33 and facing in a direction opposite the projecting portion of the drive pin 17, as well as the corresponding surfaces of the locking segments 30, lie in a common plane substantially aligned with the end of the hub rib 13 opposite the rabbet 29, which surface 34 is outwardly bounded by an outer annular flange formation 36 having a portion projecting axially beyond the surface 34 a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the wheel cover 27 to form a well for receiving the wheel cover 27. The wheel cover 27 may be in the form of a flat annular disk having a central opening bounding surface 37 corresponding in diameter to the opening bounded by the lip portion 28 of the wheel case 26 and an outer circular periphery 38 corresponding to the diameter of the shoulder formed by the outer flange formation 36.

The wheel case 26 also includes a peripheral gate forming recess 39 located at one angular position along the wheel case 26, and a circular recess 40 disposed diametrically opposite the gate forming recess 39 to form a journal opening for a rotary key change member to be late-r described. The wheel cover 27 is similarly provided with a peripheral gate forming recess 41 shaped and located to precisely register with and conform to the. portions of the gate forming recess 39 lying within the region of the wheel cover 27, and also has a circular recess 42 corresponding precisely to and axially aligned with the circular recess 40 of the wheel case 26.

The series of ci-rcumferentially spaced, radially flexible locking segments 30 are controlled by a strap member 43 also formed of suitable plastic material, such as Delrin acetal resin, and comprises an elongated thin strap or web portion 44 extending in a circular path around the series of segments 30 immediately outwardly of the same, and located within the strap accommodating groove 33. The strap 43 terminates in an enlarged cylindrical bead or anchor formation 45 nesting in a correspondingly shaped enlarged recess 46 in the body portion 35 of the wheel case 26 adjoining one end of the strap accommodating groove 33. The opposite end of the strap 43 terminates in a rotatable gear like idler member 47, preferably molded in tegrally with the strap web 44 and enlarged anchor formation 45, rotatably supported by suitable trunnion or stub shaft formations 48 projecting into accommodating sockets in the wheel case 26 and cover 2 7, and having gear teeth 49 extending over a substantial segment of the periphery thereof meshing with gear teeth 50 on the periphery of the rotatable key change member 51. The key change member 51, which displaces the usual key change cam in combination change tumblers, includes the usual noncircular central opening 52 to receive a combination change wey therethrough to permit rotation of the key change member 51 about the axis defined by the circular openings 40, 42. The key change member 51 also has a radially projecting stop or knob 53 suitably located thereon to coact with a stop surface 54 on the main body portion of the wheel case 26 to limit rotation of the key change member 51 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2, at which limit position the strap 43 is effectively lengthened to its outer radial limit wherein the locking members 30 are free to elastically return to their normal position releasing the outer annular rim portion 25 of the tumbler wheel 10 for angular movement relative to the hub 11.

It will be appreciated that the wheel cover 27 may either be cemented or thermally welded in assembled condition with the wheelcase 26, or the outer annular flange position 36 of the wheel case 26 can have an inwardly projecting bead formation coacting with the outer perimeter of the wheel cover 27 to frictionally restrain the latter in assembled relation with the wheel case 26.

In the operation of this tumbler wheel assembly, the key change member 51 and the strap member 43 will normally be adjusted to a position wherein the web portion 44 of the strap member 43 is radially constricted to flex the integral arcuate locking segments 30 of the wheel case 26 inwardly so as to interfit the serrations 31 on the segments 30 with the serrations 15 on the hub 11 and thereby interlock the hub and the outer annular rim portion of the tumbler wheel against relative angular movement. The parts may be releasably retained in this position either by the elastic memory of the strap member 43, by the friction between the parts and the wheel case and cover, or by the provision of a suitable knob or raised formation on one of the end faces of the rotatable key change member 51 or idler 47 coacting with a socket in the adjacent surface of the wheel case 26 or cover 27 located to receive the knobwhen the strap member 43 is in the radially constricted condition. Insertion of a conventional combination change key into the noncircular opening 52 of the rotatable key change member 51 when the appropriate combination of numbers has been dialed to dispose the openings 52 of all tumbler wheels of the lock in alignment with the key change access opening in the rear cover of the lock case, and rotation of the rotatable key change member 51 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, causes the strap member 43 to effectively expand circumferentially and move radially outwardly from the center of the tumbler Wheel a sufficient distance to release the locking segments 30 and permit them to respond to their elastic memories to return to their normal outer positions releasing the serrations 31 thereof from locking interengagement with the serrations 15 of the hub. The new combination desired for the lock can then be dialed, during which only .the hubs 11 are adjusted to the new angular positions of the new combination, the outer rim portions 25 being held against movement by the combination change key. After the new combination has been dialed, thus appropriately adjusting the hubs 11 t the new combination, the combination change key is then rotated to adjust the rotatable key change member '51 to cause the strap member 43- to be radially constricted and again force the segments 30 into interlocking relation with the serrated periphery 15 of the hub 11.

FIGURE illustrates a modification of the tumbler wheel construction illustrated in FIGURE -2, wherein the only change is the elimination of the idler 47, the web of the strap at the end opposite the anchoring bead being connected directly to the rotatable key change member so that rotation of the key change member by the change key effects radial constriction or enlargement of the strap member. In view of the close similarity of this modification to the form shown in FIGURE 2, the same reference characters employed in the description of FIGURE 2 are applied to the corresponding parts in FIGURE 5, the rotatable key change member formed integrally with the strap member 43 at the end of the web portion 44 opposite the bead 45 being designated bythe reference character 51' and having a noncircular opening 52' for the change key and a stop projection 53' corresponding to the opening 52 and projection 53 of the FIGURE -2 form.-

The operation of the FIGURE 5 form is similar to that of the previously described embodiment, in that the key change member 51' and the strap member 43 normally occupy a position in which the web 44 is of minimum effective circumference, and therefore minimum radius,

change key is inserted into the openings 52' in key change member 51 and rotated in a clockwise direction to the position shown in FIGURE 5, the effective circumference and radius of the web 44 are expanded and the locking segments 30 are released to return radially outwardly to free the hub 11 for rotation relative to the outer annular rim portion 25.

FIGURE 6 illustrates still another modification wherein radially slidable locking blocks 60 of generally rectangular configuration are slida bly supported in radial slideways or guides 61 in the interior surface of a wheel case 62 which is similar to the wheel case 26 except for the formation of the guides 61 therein instead of the integral locking segments 30 and the grooves for the strap 43. The locking blocks 60 have concave arcuate inner serrated surfaces 63 conforming to the associated portions of the serrated rim portion 15 of hub 11 to selectively interlock therewith,

and include an inclined groove 64 in the lateral surface of each block 60 facing the wheel cover 27 to receive a formed endless strap 65 having a circumferentially spaced series of inclined working sections 65a, 1;, c and d lying respectively in the inclined grooves 64 of blocks 60 and a toothed rack section 66. The toothed rack section 66 is meshed with teeth on the periphery of a key change member 67 having a noncircular opening 68 .therein conforming to the cross section of the change key, the member 67 being rotatably joumaled in suitable circular openings in the wheel case 62 and coacting wheel cover 27 to effect driving of the strap 64 around the center axis of the tumbler wheel responsive to turning of the change key in the usual manner. Such circumferential adjustment of the strap 65 produces radial inward movement of the locking blocks 60 into interlocking relation to the hub serrations 15 responsive to clockwise rotation of the key change member 67, as viewed in FIGURE 6, due to interaction of the inclined sections 65a, b, c, and d of the strap 7 65 with the bounding surfaces of the inclined grooves 64 in block 60. Rotation of the key change member 67 in the opposite direction effects outward retreat of the blocks 60 away from the hub n'm serrations 15 to release the hub 11 for angular adjustment relative to the annular rim portion 25. Sui-table stop or check projections may be provided on the key change member 67 to register with complemental sockets in the inner surface of the wheel cover 27 as the hub releasing and locking positions of the blocks 60 to frictionally locate and retain the member 67 at the desired angular limit position.

Yet another modification incorporating'the fundamental principles of the previously described embodiments, but in a different structural arrangement,is illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9. Referring to FIGURES 7,. 8 and 9, the tumbler wheel is designated generally by the reference character 70, and comprises a hub 71 having an annular body portion 72 provided with a central bore 73 for the tumbler post of the lock, an annular groove 74 facing in one direction for receiving the usual fiy and through the base wall of which a drive pin 75 projects, and having an annular outwardly facing groove 76 in the outer periphery of'the hub provided with serrations over the circumference of the base wall of the groove 76. Concentrically surrounding the hub 71 is the outer annular ring or rim portion 77, which in this modification is in the form of a split, one-piece gated ring of material such as plastic, having s-ufficient flexibility to permit the ring 77 to be spread to a larger effective radius to free the same from interlocked relation with the hub. The outer ring 77 has an outwardly opening gate 78 at the circumferential center of the ring and extends over a circular path over somewhat greater than a complete circle to provide a lap joint 79 diametrically opposite the gate 78. The lap joint is formed by a bifurcated formation 80 on one end portion of the ring 77 and a complemental tongue formation 81 on the other ring end portion interfitting in the manner illustrated to form a circumferentially expandable joint. Suitably offset openings 80 and 81' are provided in the bifurcated legs 80 and tongue 81, respectively, to rotatably receive an eccentric key change cam 82 having a non-circular opening 83 to receive the change key, the cam 82 having eccentrically offset circular portions 82a and 82b respectively located in the openings 80' and 81'. to cause the ring 77 to assume the constricted condition shown in FIGURE 7 in one position of the cam 82 and the expanded condition shown in FIGURE 8 in the other position of cam 82. In one form of the invention, illustrated in FIGURES 7-9, the openings 80', 81' and offset portions 82a and 82b of the cam 82 are all circular, in which event the inner edge of one of the end portions defining the lap joint 79, for example the bifurcated formation 80, may be shaped as indicated at 80" in FIGURES 7, 8, to provide sufficient clearance to permit the cam 82 to turn. Alternatively, the opening for either cam portion 82a or 82b may be of oval configuration with its longest axis extending radially of the Wheel to allow the cam to turn, in which event the clearance zone at 80 need not be provided. The ring 77 has a rib 84 having a serrated inner surface 85 which fits in the groove 76 in hub 71. In the constricted condition of the ring 77, the serration 85 interlocks with the serrations in the base wall of hub groove 76, while in the expanded condition of the ring 77, the effective radius of the ring 77 is suffi ciently enlarged to free the serrations 85 from the serrations in groove 76 to permit the hub 71 to be angularly adjusted relative to the ring 77 to establish a desired combination. It will be understood that the lap joint 79 may be of simpler form produced by a single lap tongue on each end portion of the ring 77, in which event the cam 82 will merely have two, relatively eccentric disc portions 82a and 8212, located in an opening 80, 81' in each of the lap joint tongues.

While several preferred examples of the present invention have been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tumbler wheel for combination locks and the like comprising an annular hub having a central opening therethrough adapted to be journaled on a support therefor in a combination lock and including an outer peripheral surface having a plurality of interlocking formations extending circumferentially thereof, an outer annular peripheral ring assembly coaxially surrounding said hub having an outwardly opening peripheral recess therein defining a fence-receiving gate, said ring assembly including inwardly facing concave interlock surfaces lying in a circular path concentric with said hub and movable radially of the hub to selectively mate with and be released from the hub interlocking formations to respectively restrain the hub and ring assembly against relative rotation and release the same for relative rotation, said ring assembly also including a surface shifting portion for shifting said interlock surfaces toward and away from said interlock formations, said surface shifting portion being in the form of a circumscribing loop extending through substantially a complete circle in circumjacent surrounding relation to said interlock surfaces having zones adjacent the interlock surfaces movable in a circumferential direction relative to the axis of the ring assembly to vary the effective radii of said zones and said interlock surfaces and thereby force the interlock surfaces into interlocking relation with the hub interlocking formations and release the same therefrom, and a rotatable key change member supported in said ring assembly and intercoupled with said loop for receiving a combination change key and responding to rotation thereof for circumferentially adjusting said loop to effect interlocking of said interlock surfaces with said hub inter ock formations and relative release of the same.

2. In a tumbler wheel for combination locks, the combination defined in claim 1 wherein said interlocking formations are in the form of serrations, said ring assembly comprising first and second ring members coaxially aligned and assembled together and having coextensive peripheral recesses therein jointly defining said fence-receiving gate, said interlock surfaces comprising a plurality of radially movable interlocking blocks supported between said ring members having concave serrated surfaces facing radially inwardly thereof to interlock with the serrated periphery of said hub, said interlocking blocks having inclined surfaces thereon located radially outwardly of said concave serrated surfaces thereof intercepting a circular path concentric with said hub and inclined at selected angles thereto, said surface shifting portion comprising a circumferentially movable uninterrupted loop member disposed between said first and second ring members having cam surface portions coactive with said inclined surfaces of said interlocking blocks to force the blocks radially inwardly into interlocking relation with the serrated periphery of said hub upon movement of said loop in one circumferential direction and to withdraw said interlocking blocks radially outwardly upon movement of the loop in, the opposite direction, said loop having rack teeth over a portion thereof, and said rotatable key change member having peripheral teeth thereon meshed with said rack teeth for circumferentially driving said loop responsive to rotation of a combination change key.

3. In a tumbler wheel for combination locks, the combination defined in claim 1, wherein said interlocking formations are in the form of serrations, said ring assembly comprising an outer annular peripheral ring coaxially surrounding the hub periphery in the form of a split ring of flexibly deformable material having adjacent end portions defining a circumferentially movable lap joint and having outwardly opening peripheral recesses diametrically opposite the lap joint defining said fence-receiving gate, said ring having an inner circular surface provided with inwardly facing serrations defining said interlock surfaces to mate with the serrated periphery of said hub and interlock the hub and ring against relative rotation, and said rotatable key change member comprising a cam member rotatably supported in the end portions of said ring at said lap joint for receiving a combination change key to be rotated thereby to a first position, shifting the end portions of said ring circumferentially in directions away from each other to flexibly distort the ring to an enlarged radius withdrawing the serrations thereof from interlocking relation with the serrated periphery of said hub and a second position shifting said end portions of the ring toward each other .to constrict the radius of the ring and thereby interlock the serrations thereof with the serrated periphery of said hub.

4. A tumbler wheel for combination locks and the like comprising an annular hub having a central opening therethrough adapted to be journaled on a stationary circular post therefor in a combination lock and having an outer periphery provided with circumferentially extending serrations, an outer annular peripheral ring assembly coaxially surrounding the hub periphery and having an outwardly opening peripheral recess therein defining a fencereceiving gate, said ring assembly including an annular ring member supporting a plurality of radially movable, circumferentially spaced, inwardly facing serrated surface formations to be projected into and out of interlocking relation with the hub serrations to respectively restrain the hub and ring assembly against relative rotation and release the same for relative rotation, said ring assembly also including a surface shifting portion for shifting said serrated surface formations toward and away from said hub serrations, said surface shifting portion comprising circumscribing band means extending in a generally circular path through substantially a complete circle in circumjacent surrounding relation to said serrated surface formations having circumferentially spaced end portions at least one of which is movable circumferentially relative to the other to vary the effective circumferential length and therefore the radius of the portions thereof radially aligned with said serrated surface formations, and a rotatable key change member rotatably supported in said ring assembly adjacent the circumferentially movable end portion of said band means for receiving a combination change key and responding to rotation thereof to selectively radially constrict and enlarge said band means to force said serrated surface formations into interlocking relation with the hub serrations v and release the same therefrom.

5. In a tumbler wheel for combination locks, the combination defined in claim 4 wherein said movable end portion of said band means is afiixed to said rotatable change key member to be wound thereupon during rotation of the change key member in one direction for constricting the radius of the band portions extending about said serrated surface formations.

6. In a tumbler wheel for combination locks, the combination defined in claim 4 wherein a rotatable gear member rotat-ably journaled in said ring assembly is aflixed to an end portion of said band means to wind the adjacent portions of the band means in a spiral path about the axis of rotation of said gear member upon rotation of the latter in one direction and to unwind the same upon rotation of the gear member in the opposite direction, and wherein said rotatable key change member has a peripheral toothed segment meshed with said rotatable gear member for rotating the same responsive to rotation of the combination change key.

7. A tumbler wheel for combination locks and the like comprising an annular hub having a central opening therethrough adapted to be journaled on a stationary circular post therefor in a combination lock'and having an outer periphery provided with circumferentially extending serrations, an outer annular peripheral ring assembly coaxially surrounding the hub periphery and having an outwardly opening peripheral recess therein defining a fencereceiving gate, said ring assembly including an annular ring member, a plurality of radially movable, circumferentlally spaced flexibly deformable arcuate segments int egral with said ring member having serrated surface rormatrons to be projected into and out of interlocking relation with the hub serrations to respectively restrain the hub and ring assembly against relative rotation and release the same for relative rotation, said ring assembly also including a surface shifting portion for shifting said serrated surface formations toward and away from said hub serrations, said surface shifting portion comprising a c rcumscribing band of flexible material extending in a generally circular path, encircling said arcuate segments having first and second circumferentially spaced end portions, means anchoring said first end portion at a fixed location on said ring member, said second end portion being circumferentially movable relative to the first end portion to vary the effective circumferential length and therefore the radius of the portions thereof radially aligned with said serrated surface formations, and said second end portion including a rotatable member journaled in said ring assembly to be rotated in first and second directions under control of a combination change key and forming a winding mandrel about which ad- 13C11t portions of the band may be wound and unwound to selectively radially constrict and enlarge said band to deform said arcuate segments radially inwardly into interlocking relation with the hub serrations and release the eame for elastic withdrawal from such interlocking relaion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,193,754 8/1916 Benham 70*-317 1,923,853 10/1933 Doenges 70323 2,858,691 11/1958 Hoffman 70323 JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

ALBERT H. KAMPE, Examiner.

B. R. GAY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A TUMBLER WHEEL FOR COMBINATION LOCKS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ANNULAR HUB HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING THERETHROUGH ADAPTED TO BE JOURNALED ON A SUPPORT THEREFOR IN A COMBINATION LOCK AND INCLUDING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE HAVING A PLURALITY OF INTERLOCKING FORMATIONS EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THEREOF, AN OUTER ANNULAR PERIPHERAL RING ASSEMBLY COAXIALLY SURROUNDING SAID HUB HAVING AN OUTWARDLY OPENING PERIPHERAL RECESS THEREIN DEFINING A FENCE-RECEIVING GATE, SAID RING ASSEMBLY INICLUDING INWARDLY FACING CONCAVE INTERLOCK SURFACES LYING IN A CIRCULAR PATH CONCENTRIC WITH SAID HUB AND MOVABLE RADIALLY OF THE HUB TO SELECTIVELY MATE WITH AND BE RELEASED FROM THE HUB INTERLOCKING FORMATIONS TO RESPECTIVELY RESTRAIN THE HUB AND RING ASSEMBLY AGAINST RELATIVE ROTATION AND RELEASE THE SAME FOR RELATIVE ROTATION, SAID RING ASSEMBLY ALSO INCLUDING A SURFACE SHIFTING PORTION FOR SHIFTING SAID INTERLOCK SURFACES TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID INTERLOCK FORMATIONS, SAID SURFACE SHIFTING PROTION BEING IN THE FORM OF A CIRCUMSCRIBING LOOP EXTENDING THROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY OF COMPLETE CIRCLE IN CIRCUMJACENT SURROUNDING RELATION TO SAID INTERLOCK SURFACES HAVING ZONES ADJACENT THE INTERLOCK SURFACE MOVABLE IN A CIRCUMFERENTIAL DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF THE RING ASSEMBLY TO VARY THE EFFECTIVE RADII OF SAID ZONES AND SAID INTERLOCK SURFACES AND THEREBY FORCE THE INTERLOCK SURFACES INTO INTERLOCKING RELATION WITH THE HUB INTERLOCKING FORMATIONS AND RELEASE THE SAME THEREFROM, AND A ROTATABLE KEY CHANGE MEMBER SUPPORTED IN SAID RING ASSEMBLY AND INTERCOUPLED WITH SAID LOOP FOR RECEIVING A COMBINATION CHANGE KEY AND RESPONDING TO ROTATION THEREOF FOR CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ADJUSTING SAID LOOP TO EFFECT INTERLOCKING OF SAID INTERLOCK SURFACES WITH SAID HUB INTERLOCK FORMATIONS AND RELATIVE RELEASE OF THE SAME.

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