US3648493A

US3648493A - Lock construction

Info

Publication number: US3648493A
Authority: US
Inventors: Heinz Geisler
Original assignee: Merit Werk Merten and Co KG
Current assignee: Merit Werk Merten and Co KG
Priority date: 1969-08-28
Filing date: 1970-08-26
Publication date: 1972-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-14
Also published as: JPS5015437B1; FR2059390A5; GB1282270A; DE1943754A1; SE378640B

Abstract

A lock has a housing and a lock cylinder turnably accommodated in the housing. The lock cylinder may be of one piece with one or more spring portions each of which may in turn be of one piece with an associated tumbler portion with the lock cylinder and all portions consisting of synthetic plastic material. The lock cylinder may also be of one piece with one or more spring portions, and cooperating coupling means may be provided on the spring portions for coupling to them respectively associated tumbler portions. The lock cylinder itself may also consist of a plurality of disk-shaped sections each of which may be of one piece with one or more spring portions and a corresponding number of tumblers, or may be of one piece only with the one or more spring portions with cooperating coupling means being provided for connecting the associated tumbler portions to the respective spring portions. Alternately, irrespective of whether the lock cylinder is of one piece or several sections, the respectively associated spring portions and tumbler portions may be of one piece with one another and cooperating coupling means may be provided on the spring portions and on the lock cylinder or on respective sections of the latter, for connecting purposes.

Description

' [73] Assignee:

ite 1 s Pate Geisler [54] ILOC [72] Inventor:

ICONS'IIIUCTION lHleinz Geisler, Gummersbach, Germany MQliI-Wflli Merten 8: Co. KG, Gummersbach (Rhld.), Germany 221 Filed: Ang.26,1l970 21 Appl.No.: 67,120

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 28, 1969 Germany ..P 19 43 754.8

[52] US. Cl. ..70/375, 70/364 R, 70/377 [51] Int. Cl. ..E05b 9/04, EOSb 15/14 [58] Field ofSearch....70/364 R, 375, 376, 377, DIG. 52-55,

70/DIG. 74, 373; 292/DIG. 38

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,292,032 4/1969 Germany ..70/376 1 Mar. 11, 1197 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Wolfe AttameyMichael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A lock has a housing and a lock cylinder tumably accommodated in the housing. The lock cylinder may be of one piece with one or more spring portions each of which may in turn be of one piece with an associated tumbler portion with the lock cylinder and all portions consisting of synthetic plastic material. The lock cylinder may also be of one piece with one or more spring portions, and cooperating coupling means may be provided on the spring portions for coupling to them respectively associated tumbler portions. The lock cylinder itself may also consist of a plurality of disk-shaped sections each of which may be of one piece with one or more spring portions and a corresponding number of tumblers, or may be of one piece only with the one or more spring portions with cooperating coupling means being provided for connecting the associated tumbler portions to the respective spring portions. Altemately, irrespective of whether the lock cylinder is of one piece or several sections, the respectively associated spring portions and tumbler portions may be of one piece with one another and cooperating coupling means may be provided on the spring portions and on the lock cylinder or on respective sections of the latter, for connecting purposes.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patwnked March 14, mm 3,648,493

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR EVE/Ml. Wm 13} Wm W M f 4 Pammed March 14,, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W VEN 70R WVM wiii rock cousmucirion BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a lock construction, and more particularly to a lock cylinder especially of the type for use in safety locks.

Lock cylinders are in effect the heart of a safety lock and are tumably accommodated in a housing of the lock. They are provided, basically, with a plurality of spring-loaded plates, pins or the like which are generically known as tumblers, which under the influence of the spring loading extend into grooves provided in the surrounding housing and prevent turning of the lock cylinder when the latter is one position, but can be retracted against the spring loading force to permit turning of the lock cylinder-and consequently unlocking of the lock-when a corresponding key is inserted into the lock cylinder.

A great variety of different types and constructions of lock cylinders is known. Their common denominator is that the various components, namely the usually pressure-cast lock cylinder itself, the tumblers and the usually helically configurated expansion springs, are not only made of metal but are made individually. The result is that these various components must then be assembled individually to provide the various desired combinations. The problem with this is that the assembly of the individual components not only requires particular skill, and thus cannot properly be carried out by unskilled or semiskilled personnel, but also that the expenses involved in the provision of the metallic material, in the manufacture of the individual components from such metallic material-which is usually different for the different components-and the assembly of the components require expenses which in toto amount to a significant proportion of the final cost of the lock. These expenses can be reduced only insignificantly even if the lock is produced in large series, so that the cost of such locks until now has remained relatively high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved lock of the type under discussion which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lock, particularly a safety lock, which provides the same safety features as those already known from the art but which is substantially less expensive to produce.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide such an improved lock which can be produced and assembled in a very simple manner and is well suited for partially or fully automated manufacture and assembly.

In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides, briefly stated, in a lock which comprises a housing and a lock cylinder turnably accommodated in this housing. According to the present invention the lock cylinder comprises a cylindrical main body portion, at least one tumbler portion and at least one spring portion permanently urging the tumbler portion to a predetermined position relative to the main body portion, with all of these portions consisting at least predominantly of synthetic plastic material and with at least two of the portions being of one piece with each other.

The main body portion may itself be of one piece and will of course in conventional manner be provided with requisite cutouts each of which accommodates one of the tumbler portions. The main body portion may be of one piece with either the respective spring portion or portions, in which case cooperating coupling means are provided for connecting each spring portion with a tumbler portion, or else the respective spring portions may each be of one piece with one of the tumbler portions and in that case the spring portions and the main body portion will be provided with cooperating coupling means for connecting them. Such a construction, regardless of which one is chosen, has substantial advantages in the manufacture of the various components which can be in well known mass-production techniques from synthetic plastic material, and has additional advantages in the assembly because it is only necessary to insert the respective tumbler portions in the openings provided for them in the main body portion, and to thereupon simply slide the thus-prepared main body portion into the housing where it can then readily be secured against withdrawal.

Of course, in safety locks it is desired to provide a guarantee that only small lock series are produced, to assure that the likelihood of a key fitting several locks is reduced. To provide for this possibility, and at the same time maintain the production and manufacturing costs for the novel lock low, it may be advantageous under such circumstances to resort to one of the constructions where either spring portions are of one piece with the main body portion and can be coupled with the respective tumbler portions, or where the tumbler portions and the spring portions are of one piece and can be coupled with the main body portion. In this manner various difi'erent combinations can be very readily made, and because primarily it is the tumbler portions which differ from one another in their configuration, it is possible to use one and the same main body portion and combine it with various different tumbler portions in order to small series of locks which will respond only to a particularly configurated key suitable for use with this special series, and will not respond to other keys.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, both from the point of view of keeping the manufacturing costs low and from the possibility of the number of different combinations possible, is achieved in that the main body portion itself consists of a plurality of disk-shaped sections which are axially arrayed and each of which is of one piece with one or more of the spring portions and one or more of the associated tumbler portions, or each of which is of one piece with one or more of the spring portions to which the tumbler portions can be separately connected, or each of which can be separately connected with one or more sets consisting of a spring portion and a tumbler portion each which are of one piece with one another. In this manner it is possible to combine largely identical sections with one another, which differ from each other only in the configuration of the tumbler portions; of course, such sections and the associated spring portions and tumbler portions can be accordingly produced in largely identical toolssuch as molds or the like-and in series of different quantities, whereupon they can be combined in a great variety of different combinations. The various sections can be produced partially or fully automatically by suitable plastic-molding or foaming machines known in the art. Moreover, it is possible to provide a partly or fully automatic program control which moves different sections with different tumbler portions from the various machines producing them to a central assembly point where they can be assembled with one another. This namely the program control and the partly or fully automatic machines for manufacturing the various components-is not a part of the present invention and is mentioned herein only to indicate the versatility of the novel lock and the possibilities which are afforded by it for costreducing automation.

If the main body portion is composed of a plurality of sections, then there will be two end sections provided located at opposite axial ends of the main body portion and secured thereto in suitable manner. For manufacturing the various components of synthetic plastic material it is particularly advantageous to make the spring portions in form of leaf springs, rather than as helical expansion springs as heretofore customary, because in this manner the main body portion (or the sections thereof) can be particularly advantageously constructed of one piece with the spring portions and/or the tumbler portions. This measure, incidentally, also facilitates the assembly of the components and their insertion into the housmg.

As mentioned before, the various portions are made of synthetic plastic material, and high reliability and sturdiness is obtained if for such synthetic plastic material a material is utilized having high strength and permanent resilience and elasticity, for instance a thermoplastic material such as polymethylene oxide, which is also known and commercially available under the trademark Delrin. This, however, is to be considered an exemplary identification of one such material, because others are also suitable.

The insertion and removal of the key to be used with a lock according to the present invention is simplified in that the surfaces bounding the apertures in the respective tumblers and which face the teeth of the key, are either rounded or bevelled, that is configurated in the cross-sectional shape of a gable roof. Increased safety can be further provided by having the key guide passage in the one-piece main body portionor in the various sections which together make up the main body portion-be so configurated in cross section that it corresponds to the cross-sectional profile of the key to be used with the lock.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to the construction and and the method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic section taken on line I I of FIG. 2 and illustrating a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side-elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing the tumbler portions located outside the recesses provided for them in the main body portion;

FIG. 3 is a top-plan view of the tumbler portion shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the tumbler portions received in the recesses of the main body portion;

FIG. 5 is a view analogous to FIG. 1 illustrating one section of a multi-sectioned main body portion together with its associated spring portion and tumbler portion;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the tumbler portion accommodated in the recess of the section which is provided for this purpose;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating a further embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is an axial sectional elevation showing a lock utilizing either the embodiment of FIG. 5 or that of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l-4, it is initially emphasized that the drawing clearly shows the basic concept according to the present invention, namely that the tumblers and springs are either of one piece with one another and connected with the main body portion, or that the main body portion is of one piece with the springs and that the tumblers are connected with the springs, and further that the main body portion may consist of one piece or of several sections. In particular if the main body portion (or any section thereof) is not of one piece with both the spring portions and tumbler portions, then these separate components may be made of various different synthetic plastic materials, that is the two portions which are of one piece with each other may be made of synthetic plastic and the third portion which is to be connected with the two portions may be of another synthetic plastic. This may be desirable in some application or in some circumstances and in such a case resort will of course be had to one of the embodiments where only two of the basic portions are of one piece with one another, whereas the third portion-either the tumbler or the main body portion or the sections thereof-are separate.

As FIG. 1 clearly shows, reference numeral 1 clearly identifies the main body portion of a lock cylinder according to the present invention. It is provided with an axially extending passage or opening or key guide 2 for the nonillustrated key which is to operate the lock cylinder. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 at least one spring portion 3 is of one piece with the main body portion 1, and in turn at least one tumbler portion 4 is of one piece with the free end of the spring portion 3 which is configurated as a leaf spring. In other words, the

portions

1, 3 and 4 are all of one piece with one another and can of course be made in a single molding, casting or other plastic-forming operation. Advantageously the plastic will be one of the ones identified earlier, for instance the one known under the trademark Delrin. The main body portion 1 is provided transversely to its elongation (compare FIG. 2) with a number of recesses 5 extending inwardly from its circumference, and which number corresponds to the number of tumbler portions provided. As FIG. 4 clearly shows, each tumbler portion 4 can be inserted into its associated recess by requisite bending and deforming of the corresponding spring portions 3. The tumbler portions 4 are provided with apertures 4b which, when the tumbler portions 4 are received in the respective recesses 5, register with the key guide 2 as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 3 shows that the side faces bounding the aperture 4b and facing the teeth on a key to be inserted, are identified with reference numeral 4 and may be either rounded or, as illustrated, bevelled in gable-roof configuration. This facilitates insertion and removal of the key and also makes it easier for the tumbler portions 4 to be withdrawn to their unlocking position.

Reference to FIG. 4 will clearly show that it is the continuous tendency of the leaf-spring-shaped spring portion 3 to radially outwardly displace the templar portion 4 along and out of the associated recess 5 so that it will engage with a corresponding groove provided in the surrounding wall of the housing-this is discussed in more detail with reference to FIG. 8, and it is evident that the construction according to the present invention thus achieves in a very simple manner the same function which conventionally is provided by tum blers which are spring-loaded with helical expansion springs.

To insert the embodiment of FIGS. 2-4 into a housing, for instance the one shown in FIG. 8 and identified with reference numeral 10, it is simply necessary to displace all of the tumbler portions 4 into the respective associated recesses 5. Once this has been done, the construction is inserted into the correspondingly configurated opening of a housing 10 (compare FIG. 8). The projection 8 on the main body portion 1 may, depending on the use to which the lock is to be put, for actuating a dead bolt, an electrical switch if the lock is used as an ignition lock for a vehicle, or for cooperating with another element.

The embodiment in FIGS. 5 and 6 is of the type wherein the main body portion 1 is itself constituted by a plurality of individual disk-shaped sections 11, one of which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. These are axially arrayed in the manner shown in FIG. 8 and at the opposite axial ends of the thus-provided composite main body portion 1 there are located

end pieces

12 and 13 still to be described and which may be made of synthetic plastic material or metal. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 each section II is of one piece with the as sociated spring portion 3 and the latter in turn is of one piece with the associated tumbler portion 4. The embodiment of FIG. 7 differs from that of FIGS. 5 and 6 in that each section 11 is an individual item whereas each spring portion 3 is of one piece with the respectively associated tumbler portion 4. In FIG. 7 cooperating coupling means are provided, namely the exemplary ball-shaped coupling portion 3a at the free end of the spring portion 3, and a recess lla defined between two resiliently deflectable parts of the section 11 so that the por tion 3a can be received with a snap action in the recess lla whereby the unitary element consisting of the

portions

3 and 4 is coupled to the section II. Evidently, other types of coupling means can also be provided, for instance a slide-in type of coupling means or the like which are known per se.

In any case, utilizing either the embodiment of FIG. 5 or that of FIG. 7 the sections 11 are axially arrayed with reference to one another, a desired number of such sections being provided. The sections llll are connected with one another and with the end pieces 12 and I3 in suitable manner, for instance by riveting, by snap-action couplings, by pins or the like, such as clips or other elements, and for this purpose recesses 6 or openings 6 are provided which may have different configurations as is clearly indicated in FIGS. 5 and 7. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 8 a connecting pin 14 is shown in broken lines as extending through the aligned openings 6 of the various sections 11 and into the

end pieces

12 and 13 where it is connected with the latter, for instance by being riveted to them. Evidently, the tumbler portions of the various sections ll which are connected together in the embodiment of FIG. 8 may be and will usually be different to thereby obtain a lock having the desired characteristics and utilizing a particularly configurated key. By varying the combinations of tumbler portions the lock itself can be varied accordingly. A flange 115 of the end piece 12 abuts against an end face of the housing and at the inner end the main body portion l is secured against withdrawal by a circlip 16 received in a groove provided in the end piece l3 and abutting against an internal housing flange 17. When the lock of FIG. 8 is in looking position, the tumbler portions 4 of the various sections 11 extend in known manner into a groove 18 provided in the inner surface Illa of the housing 10 and extending lengthwise of the main body portion ll. They can be withdrawn from this groove 3 by insertion of the key 19 which is fragmentarily illustrated, thus permitting turning of the lock cylinder in the housing 10. When the key 19 is inserted, the tumbler portions 4 enter-in the manner known from conventional locks of this cylinder type-temporarily into a groove 20 provided in the inner surface 10a of the housing 10 at a location diametrally opposite the groove 113, but when the key is completely inserted they become withdrawn from the groove 20. After the lock cylinder is turned, the tumbler portions 4 are blocked outside the grooves 118 and 20 by contact with the housing surface lltla, so that the key 19 cannot be withdrawn in this position of the lock cylinder.

It will be appreciated that by resorting to the present inven tion it is possible to produce locks, and in particular lock cylinders which are suitable even for safety locks and which can be made in a much simpler and less expensive way than anything known heretofore from the prior art. Moreover, the construction according to the present invention affords the same safety which is provided by conventional constructions of this type, but it is less expensive to manufacture and less expensive to assemble. In addition there is the further advantage that the synthetic plastic material of which the various components are made does not corrode, so that in many cases a lock constructed according to the present invention will operate more reliably and for a longer period of time without difficulty than what is known from the art where the components are made of metal and thus subject to corrosion.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a lock, particularly a safety lock, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit ofthe present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

ll. In a lock, particularly a safety lock, in combmation, a

housing; and a lock cylinder turnably accommodated in said housing, said lock cylinder comprising a main body portion of cylindrical cross section, at least one tumbler portion and at least one spring portion permanently urging said tumbler portion to a predetermined position relative to said main body portion, all of said portions consisting at least predominantly of synthetic plastic material and being of one piece with each other.

2. In a lock as defined in claim ll, said main body portion being a disk-shaped section; and further comprising additional disk-shaped sections each associated with an additional tumbler portion and an additional spring portion, said sections all being axially arrayed.

3. In a lock as defined in claim 1, wherein said synthetic plastic material is a material having high strength and resilience.

4. In a lock as defined in claim ll, wherein said synthetic plastic material is polymethylene oxide.

5. In a lock as defined in claim 2; and further comprising connecting means connecting said sections against relative displacement.

6. In a lock as defined in claim 1, wherein said spring portion is configurated as a leaf-spring.

7. In a lock as defined in claim 2, each of said sections being of one piece with at least one of said spring portions and at least one of said tumbler portions.

8. In a look as defined in claim 7; further comprising a pair of axial end sections positioned at opposite axial ends of said main body portion; and wherein at least one of said end sections consists of metallic material.

9. In a lock as defined in claim 7; further comprising a pair of axial end sections positioned at opposite axial ends of said main body portion; and wherein at least one of said end sections consists of synthetic plastic material.

110. In a lock as defined in claim ll, said tumbler portion having an aperture for a key provided with tumbler-actuating teeth, said aperture being bounded by surface portions which face towards such teeth upon insertion of a key into said aperture; and wherein said surface portions are rounded.

llll. In a lock as defined in claim 1, said tumbler portion having an aperture for a key provided with tumbler-actuating teeth, said aperture being bounded by surface portions which face towards such teeth upon insertion of a key into said aper ture; and wherein said surface portions are bevelled.

112. In a lock as defined in claim 1; further comprising a key of predetermined cross-sectional profile; and wherein said main body portion is provided with a key-guiding passage having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to said profile.

Claims

1. In a lock, particularly a safety lock, in combination, a housing; and a lock cylinder turnably accommodated in said housing, said lock cylinder comprising a main body portion of cylindrical cross section, at least one tumbler portion and at least one spring portion permanently urging said tumbler portion to a predetermined position relative to said main body portion, all of said portions consisting at least predominantly of synthetic plastic material and being of one piece with each other.

2. In a lock as defined in claim 1, said main body portion being a disk-shaped section; and further comprising additional disk-shaped sections each associated with an additional tumbler portion and an additional spring portion, said sections all being axially arrayed.

4. In a lock as defined in claim 1, wherein said synthetic plastic material is polymethylene oxide.

8. In a lock as defined in claim 7; further comprising a pair of axial end sections positioned at opposite axial ends of said main body portion; and wherein at least one of said end sections consists of metallic material.

10. In a lock as defined in claim 1, said tumbler portion having an aperture for a key provided with tumbler-actuating teeth, said aperture being bounded by surface portions which face towards such teeth upon insertion of a key into said aperture; and wherein said surface portions are rounded.

11. In a lock as defined in claim 1, said tumbler portion having an aperture for a key provided with tumbler-actuating teeth, said aperture being bounded by surface portions which face towards such teeth upon insertion of a key into said aperture; and wherein said surface portions are bevelled.

12. In a lock as defined in claim 1; further comprising a key of predetermined cross-sectional profile; and wherein said main body portion is provided with a key-guiding passage having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to said profile.