US3431754A - Lock construction - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1969 c. B. BRUMELLE 3,431,754

LOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7. 1967 Sheet of :5

INVENTOR. CUFTON B. BRUMELLE March 11, 1969 c. B. BRUM-ELLE 3,431,754

YLOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7. 1967 v Sheet 2' of s Flag.

' INVENTOR. CuF'roN B. BRUMELLE Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Q I

Arrow/5 5 March 1969 c. B. BRUM'ELLE LOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7. 1967 CuFToN B. BRUMELLE I wav United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A look construction operated from one side of an enclosure in which it is installed by means of a key in which the key-receptive portion of the mechanism may quickly be changed by substitution but only from the opposite 'side of the enclosure.

PREAMBLE While good quality cylinder locks are generally considered to be quite tamper-proof, it is relatively easy to make duplicate keys. Thus, if a working key can be obtained, an exact duplicate can be made in but a few moments. Recognizing this, unscrupulous persons have rented a room in a hotel, duplicated the key to the room, and then have returned at a later date, perhaps months later, to pilfer the room in the absence of the tenant at that time. I

Heretofore, of course, it has been possible to change cylinder locks so that a different key is required for its operation. This, however, has been an expensive operation since the services of a locksmith was required. Accordingly, the changing of cylinder locks is normally done only when there is reason to suspect that an unauthorized person has made a duplicate key. In contrast, the present invention makes the changing of the cylinder lock such a simple operation that it can be accomplished by an unskilled person. Thus, or example, when a bellboy in a hotel shows a guest to his room, he can, after entering the room with the proper key, then quickly remove the lock cylinder assembly and substitute therefor another assembly requiring a different key. The guest is thus assured that even if the previous guest in this room had duplicated his key, it would not now function to unlock the door. The removed cylinder assembly will be subsequently installed in any other room, to replace the then present assembly, as required.

Since the lock cylinder assemblies will be substituted for each other indiscriminately, an unauthorized key holder would have no way of knowing which room in the hotel his key would fit at some future date without actually trying all the room locks. Indeed, even this could prove to be of no avail since it is quite possible that the assembly in which the unauthorized key functions might at any particular time not even be in use.

These and other advantages of the present invention will readily become apparent from a study of the following description and from the appended drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed by way of illustration, and in these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a lock structure embodying the present invention shown mounted on a door,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view generally corresponding to the line 22 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but with certain parts on the near side removed to show the underlying structure,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view generally corresponding to the line 4--4 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view generally corresponding to the line 55 of FIGURE 4,

Patented Mar. 11, 1969 FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing certain parts in separated relation, and

FIGURE 7 shows an assembly seen in FIGURE 6 in separated relation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With reference first to FIGURES 1 and 4, the present lock structure comprises a housing 10 securable, for example, to the inner surface 11 of a door 12. For a purpose to appear, housing 10 has a tubular portion 13 projecting through the door 12 to the exterior thereof. As best seen in FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, housing 10 slidably carries a bolt 14 which normally projects from the housing and engages the usual striker (not shown) carried by the door frame.

Bolt 14 is removably retained in the housing 10 by a cover plate 15 secured to the housing by, for example, screws 16. Suitable guides 17, 18 (FIGURES 2 and 3) maybe formed in the housing for guiding movement of the bolt and for reasons to appear, rack teeth 19 are provided on the lower side of the bolt 14 as best seen in FIGURE 2. A spring 20 yieldably urges bolt 14 to the right in the position of parts viewed in FIGURE '3, bolt movement in such direction being limited, for example, by engagement of the rack teeth with the guide 18.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, a lock cylinder 21 is closely but slidably received in the housing tubular portion 13 and is retained against rotation relative thereby by means of a key 22 formed in the housing portion and engaged in a keyway 23 formed in the cylinder. In the position of parts seen in FIGURE 4, the right end of housing portion 13 has an annular, radially inwardly projecting flange 24 seated in an annular groove 25 formed in the cylinder to provide a positive stop which limits movement of the cylinder to the right and thus prevents withdrawal thereof from the housing from the outside of the door. Cylinder 21 rotatably carries the usual lock plug 26 which is adapted to receive the usual key 27. Although not shown, plug 26 carries the usual tumbler pins which, until the proper key is inserted in the plug, lock the latter to the cylinder and against rotation relative thereto. As best seen in FIGURE 2, cylinder 21 has a shoulder 28 which functions to prevent withdrawal of plug 26 from the cylinder 21 from the outside of the door.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, the inwardly facing end of lock cylinder 21 is provided with a transversely extending slot 29 for rotatably receiving the radially enlarged head 30 of an actuator member 31. Such actuator is concentric with the lock plug 26 and has a shank portion 32 within the lock housing and a shank extension 33 projecting outwardly of the housing. Actuator shank extension 33 rotatably extends through an externally threaded closure 34 which cooperates with a threaded opening 35 formed in the housing cover plate 15. Closure 34 preferably has a flange 36 which abuts the plate and limits inward movement of the closure and such flange may be knurled on its periphery to facilitate rotation of the closure.

As most clearly shown in FIGURE 3, actuator shank portion 32 is generally round in cross-section; however, opposed sides thereof are flattened at 37 to closely fit with a gear 38 formed with peripheral teeth for engagement with the rack teeth 19 of the bolt 14. As illustrated, gear 38 is slotted at 39 to provide for transverse assembly and disassembly thereof with the actuator shank.

Providing a connection between the lock plug 26 and the actuator 31 (see FIGURES 2 and 4), the inner end of the plug carries a tongue 40 which projects into a pocket or recess 41 (FIGURE 5 formed in the adjoining face of the actuator head 30. Pocket 41 provides opposed abutments 42 engaged with diametrically opposed sides of plug tongue 40 but provides clearance over such tongue at 43 for reasons to appear. Also, for reasons to appear, a slot 44 extends from the pocket 41 to the periphery of the actuator head, such slot being of a width to pass the plug tongue 40.

- Still referring to FIGURE 5, the plug tongue 40 and the pocket 41, together with the abutments 42 provide a lost-motion connection between the lock plug and the actuator. If it be assumed that the tongue 40 is rotated in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow, the abutments 42 will cause rotation of the actuator 31 therewith. Rotation of the tongue in a counter-clockwise direction, however, will not rotate the actuator, at least until the tongue has been rotated more than 90 degrees, since the tongue 40 will merely turn into the pocket portions 43 without engaging a defining wall of the pocket. Similarly, any attmept to rotate the actuator in a counter-clockwise direction would couple the actuator to the tongue 40 through the abutments 42; however, rotation of the actuator in a clockwise direction may be elfected independently of the tongue 40 because of the clearance over the tongue provided by the pocket portions 43.

To operate the lock thus far described from the outside and assuming the correct key 27 is inserted in the lock plug 26, rotation of such key in the direction of the arrow seen in FIGURE 5 will effect rotation of the plug and its attached tongue 40 relative to the lock cylinder 21. Since tongue 40* is engaged with actuator abutments 42, the actuator 31 will be rotated therewith. Rotation of the actuator in this direction, which is equivalent to rotation of the actuator in the direction of the arrow seen in FIG- URE 3, will rotate the gear 38 and retract the bolt 14 against the yieldable force exerted by the spring 20, thus unlocking the door. If, of course, the wrong key is used, it will be impossible to rotate the lock plug 26 relative to the lock cylinder and thus the door will remain locked. h cal Similarly, if the door is to be unlocked from the inside, actuator 31 will be rotated in the direction previously described by means of a knob 45 attached thereto, and through the gear 38, the bolt will be retracted against the force exerted by the spring 20. It is to be understood that even though no key is in the look plug 26 and thus the latter is retained against rotation relative to the lock cylinder 21, actuator 31 is free to rotate as above described because of the lost-motion connection hereinabove described provided by the tongue 40 and the actuator pocket or recess 41.

Assuming that the lock thus far described is mounted on the door of a hotel room, and that a bellboy is admitting to the room a guest who has just engaged the latter, the bellboy will unlock the door from the outside using the proper key as previously described. Having gained admittance to the room, the bellboy will then unscrew the closure 34 from the housing cover plate 15 and, by pulling upon the actuator knob 45, withdraw the actuator 31, the closure 34, the gear 38, the cylinder 21, and the lock plug 26, as a complete assembly as shown in FIGURE 6.

The lock cylinder-lock plug assembly may then be removed from the actuator 3-1 by shifting it relative to the latter in the direction of the arrows seen in FIGURE 7. Note, that the actuator head 30 will slide out of the cylinder slot 29, the previously described slot 44 in the actuator head 30 (FIGURE 5) freely passing the lock plug tongue 40. If desired, the gear 38 may also be removed from the actuator by sliding it transversely therefrom. However, removal of the gear from the actuator will not normally be necessary.

The lock cylinder-lock plug assembly thus removed from the actuator will now be replaced with another as sembly having a diflferent key. Such assembly will be reassembled with the actuator 31 and then the cylinder, actuator, gear, and closure assembly will be reinstalled in the lock housing by reversal of the previously described disassembly operations. The lock cylinder-lock plug assembly just removed from the door will be carried away by the bellboy for ultimateinstallation in another door lock by repetition of the foregoing operations.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, means are provided to insure the door cannot be unlocked from the outside, even though the correct key is used, while the occupant is in the room. This is. conveniently effected by providing a plunger 46 in the housing cover plate 15 having a head 47 selectively receivable in a recess 48 in the bolt 14. In the position of parts seen, plunger 46 is in position wherein its head is retracted from plunger recess 48 so that retraction of bolt 14, either by use of the correct key from the outside, or by use of the actuator from the inside, can be elfectuated as previously described. If, however, plunger 46 is shifted from the inside to dispose its head 47 in the bolt recess 48, the bolt willvbe locked against retraction from either the outside or inside.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be app'reciated that the herein disclosed embodiment is illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. A lock construction, comprising a housing,

an assembly formed of a lock cylinder carried by said housing against rotation relative thereto together with a lock plug rotatably carried by said cylinder and having one end facing in a predetermined direction and adapted to receive a key,

a locking bolt slidably carried by said housing for movement transversely of the axis of said lock plug toward and away from locking position,

the improvement comprising an actuator rotatably carried by said housing and projecting therefrom in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction, rotation of said actuator effecting sliding movement of said bolt,

said cylinder being so connected to said actuator that withdrawal of the latter from said housing in said opposite direction simultaneously withdraws said cylinder-plug assembly therefrom to permit ready substitution of other such assemblies.

2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said acutator is removably connectedto said cylinder.

3. The construction of claim 2 wherein said cylinder provides a transversely extending slot,

and wherein said actuator has a radially enlarged head rotatably received in said cylinder slot.

4. The construction of claim 1 wherein said actuator is so connected to said plug that rotation of the latter is accompanied by rotation of said actuator and consequent sliding movement of said bolt.

5. The construction of claim 4 wherein the connection aforesaid between said plug and said actuator is of the lost-motion type and provides for actuator rotation and consequent bolt movement independently of plug rotation.

6. The construction of claim 5 wherein said plug has an axially protruding tongue received in a slot formed in a facing portion of said actuator,

wherein a portion of said actuator slot provides an abutment engageable with said plug tongue to interlock said plug and said actuator for unitary movement during rotation of said plug in one direction.

and wherein another portion of said actuator slot provides space for freely receiving said plug tongue during rotation of said actuator in said one direction independently of said plug.

7. The construction of claim 1 wherein interengageable means prevents removal of said cylinder-plug 'assembly from said housing in said predetermined di- References Cited rection, wherein said bolt is provided with gear teeth forming UNITED STATES PATENTS arack, 481,421 8/1892 Price 70156 wherein a gear 1s removably carried by said actuator 5 1495,82) 5/1924 Tierney 70 108 for unitary rotation therewith and is engageable {814302 7/1931 Falk 7OL 449 l g i i r m bl 0 n t d t id 2,015,735 10/1935 Thomalla 70-370 X w erein sa ac ua or s e ova y c n ec e o sa 2,922,298 1/1960 Wiener cylinder, and wherein said actuator has lost-motion connection with said plug so that while rotation of the latter 10 RICHARD MOORE Primary Examiner is accompanied by rotation of said actuator and E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

consequent sliding movement of said bolt, such connection provides for actuator rotation and consequent US. Cl. X.R.

bolt movement aforesaid independently of plug ro- 15 70-371 tation.

Images