US3592027A

US3592027A - Combination lock

Info

Publication number: US3592027A
Authority: US
Inventors: Shigeru Wako
Original assignee: WAKO KINZOKIE KK
Current assignee: WAKO KINZOKIE KK
Priority date: 1968-09-30
Filing date: 1969-09-22
Publication date: 1971-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-13
Also published as: GB1231962A

Abstract

A combination lock includes a plurality of dial rings each mounted on and engageable with engaging rings positioned about a shaft and the engaging rings being rotatably movable about the shaft for fastening or unfastening a lock bail positioned in the shaft. In its unfastened position, the lock is arranged to afford the release of the interengagement of the dial rings and engaging rings for separately rotating the dial rings for resetting the combination for opening the lock.

Description

United States Patent Shigeru Wako Tokyo, Japan Sept. 22, 1969 July 13, 1971 Wake Klnzokie Kabushild Ka'sha Tokyo, Japan Sept. 30, 1968, Sept. 30, 1

Japan 43/85129 and 43185130 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority COMBINATION LOCK 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 70/25, 70/53, 70/3 l2, 70/315 E05b 37/14, E05b 37/02, EOSb 67/22 Field 0! Search 70/2 I 25, 22, 24, 27, 304, 30], 315, 312, 316, 53

Int. (l

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 174,842 3/1876 Orr 70/25 Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy AltomeyMcGlew & Toren ABSTRACT: A combination lock includes a plurality of dial rings each mounted on and engageable with engaging rings positioned about a shaft and the engaging rings being rotatably movable about the shaft for fastening or unfastening a lock bail positioned in the shaft. In its unfastened position, the lock is arranged to aflord the release of the interengagement of the dial rings and engaging rings for separately rotating the dial rings for resetting the combination for opening the lock.

PATENTEI] JUL] 3 I971 SHEET 1 [1F 4 INVENTOR fiu WHKO hm awt /m @w ATTORNEY 5 PATENTED JUL 1 319?! SHEET 2 BF 4 ATTORNEYS PATENIED JULI 31am 3, 592', 027

' saw u (1F 4 INVENTOR 90 wfixo ATTORNEYS COMBINATION LOCK The present invention relates to an improvement in a combination lock in which the combination of the lock can be easily changed without any assembly of the lock and, the simplication of operation for the change and the prevention of errors during such operation are provided when the lock is unfastened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the combination locks hitherto known, the combination of numbers or letters is decided when the locks are manufactured and it cannot be altered after that. Hence, once the combination is learned by other people, the lock will have to be given away and exchanged for a new one. In order to remedy this defect, it is known that there are the locks in which it is possible to change the combination of numbers or letters, but they must be taken apart to change the combination. Hence, if the users take such locks apart, they have the probes that the locks often get out of order and the insides of the lock would get damaged to the extent that they cannot be used any more. After all, every time the combination is changed, the matter will have to be entrusted to the dealers or manufacturers.

Accordingly the inventor of this application invented a combination lock in which, the dial rings are put on the outside of the engaging rings, both rings are engaged by the notched uneven parts, and when the combination of numbers is altered, the lock is taken apart partly to make an opening among the adjoining dial rings slightly broader than the en gagement depth of the notched uneven parts, so that any letters or numbers can be selected with the dial rings made rotatable freely, but with only engaging rings only made unrotatable.

In this case, however there were disadvantages that a special shuttle driver was needed when a part of the lock was taken apart and that when the dial rings were rotated, the engaging rings were rotated together by the users error in operation, too, thus making the combination of numbers obscure. Hence, the present invention has been worked out as a remedy for these defects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The composition of the invented lock is this: the combination rings engaged with the dial rings put on the outside of the engaging rings are mounted on a shaft; a collar is provided on the upper surface of the shaft; a case is fixed rotatably to its lower surface so that the combination rings can be prevented from coming off; a lock bail that can be engaged with the internal edge of the engaging rings are passed through the collar and the case; in the lower sidewall of the shaft, an engaging pin is always kept in a protruding form by a spring for engaging the case; and the lock bail cannot be turned to the on position, when the engaging pin is pushed from the outside through an engaging hole of the case and the dial rings are freely rotated to change the combination of numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a lock illustrating an example of this invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional drawing showing the lock in the locked state;

FIG. 3 shows a section in an unlocked state of the lock with the bail lifted up; and

FIG. 4 is a section in an unlocked state of the example with the bail lowered;

FIG. 5 shows a section taken along the line A-A in the FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective drawing showing a section of a dial ring;

FIG. 7 is a perspective drawing showing a section of an engaging ring; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the case.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Now, this invention is illustrated by an example.

Engaging rings

4, 5, 6 are rotatably loosely fitted on a shaft 3 whose upper part forms a collar 1 and whose lower part forms a fitting protrusion 2, and the

dial rings

7, 8, 9 are mounted on the

engaging rings

4, 5, 6, respectively. The notched

uneven parts

10, 11 of the engaging rings are engaged with the notched

uneven parts

12, 13 of the

dial rings

7, 8, 9. Further, a central hole 15 of the case 14 is fitted in the fitting protrusion 2 and a hole 16 is made horizontally toward the center from the sidewall of fitting protrusion 2. A spring 17 and an engaging pin 18 are inserted into the hole in order and the engaging pin 18 is held in a protruding form all the time. A vertical groove 19 is made in a sidewall of the central hole 15 which is opposite to the tip of the engaging pin 18. An engaging hole 20 is made through the outside wall of the case 14 from the vertical groove 19. The upper part of vertical groove 19 is blockaded with a plate 21 fixed to the upper surface of the case 14. The engaging hole 20 is made in a position engaging the engaging pin 18 when the fitting protrusion 2 of the shaft 3 is inserted to the bottom of the central hole 15. Further, the notched

uneven parts

12, 13 of the

dial rings

7, 8, 9 are provided in the circular collars 22 of the dial rings and the circular collars 23 close to the sidewall of the shaft are made inside the

engaging rings

4, 5, 6. The circular collars 23 have notches 25 which engage the long arm a of the lock bail 24. The lock bail 24 consists of a long arm a and a short arm b and has the reverse shape of an invented letter U and is inserted through the collar 1, the inside of circular collars 23 of the

engaging rings

4, 5, 6, and the case 14. The lower end of the short arm 12 is inserted into a hole 26 made in the upper surface of the collar 1 when the lock works, and in order to insert the long arm a, a through hole 27 is made in the case 14 at a right angle with the engaging hole 20. The hole 27 has a step 28 which is to engage the bottom expansion part 29 of the long arm a to prevent the arm a from coming out. The bottom expansion part 29 of the long arm a is made by protruding the long arm downward and by bringing a jig into contact with the arm after the lock is assembled. Hence, it becomes impossible to take the lock apart after the expansion part 29 is formed. Further, the step 28 becomes a stopper for restricting the lift of the long arm a and when the lock is unfastened, the lower end of the short arm b gets out of the hole 26. When the dial rings are freely rotated to change the combination numbers, the lock must be designed so that the lower end of the short arm b may be disturbed by the sidewall of the collar 1 and the lock bail may not be turned to the on position. Hence, the step must be prepared, taking into consideration the lift distance of the shaft 3, the length of the short arm b and the relative position to the engaging hole 20. (In case where the engagement between the engaging pin 18 and the engaging hole 20 is disengaged in such a way as shown in FIG. 3, the step must be prepared so that the lower end of the long arm may be positioned above the engaging hole 20.)

Further, the

notches

30, 31, 32 which are to be engaged with the circular collars 23 are provided in the outside wall of the long arm a. (The side faced to the short arm is called the inside wall.) The circular collars 23 of the engaging rings are designed to plunge into engagement with the

notches

30, 31, 32 when the lock is shut. When the lock is opened, the notches 25 of the circular collars 23 are faced to the sidewall of the long arm so that the long arm a may go up or down. Further, in the example of FIG. 4, a through hole 33 that is to reconnect to the engaging hole 20 when the long arm goes down, is provided in the lower sidewall of the long arm. When the engaging hole 20 is allowed to reconnect with the through hole 33, the position of the through hole is regulated in such a way that the lower end of the short arm 12 of the lock bail may be in a lower position than the on position. This is done as a preventive measure because it is possible to unfasten the lock by taking it apart to see the inside of the lock when the engaging hole reconnects with the through hole 33 in the locking condition. However. if the lock is designed in such a way that the reconnection between the through hole 33 and the engaging hole 20 can be made with the short arm turned at an optional angle from the on position, there will be no fear of the engaging holes reconnecting to the through hole 33 in the locking condition, irrespective of the height of through hole. But, in this case, the users will have difficulty in finding the reconnection position. Hence, it is advisable to reconnect each other, with the short arm turned at the angle of 90 or 180. As occasion demands, the turning angle for the reconnection can be indicated. In any event, when the dial rings and the engaging rings are separately rotated, the short arm must be made high to the extent that it cannot be turned to the on position. (The lock is designed so that the lower face of the short arm may be in a lower position than the upper surface of the collar.)

In the above mentioned example, when the unlocking number of each dial ring is aligned with an arrow 34, the notches of circular collar 23 on each of engaging

rings

4, 5, 6 are faced to the long arm, so the engagement between the long arm a and the circular collar 23 is disengaged, the lock bail is drawn up, and the lock is unfastened. Now, as shown in the FIG. 4, the short arm b is turned at l80 and the long arm a is pushed down, as shown in full line in the Figure, to make the engaging hole 20 reconnect to the through hole 33. A slender pin 35 is inserted from the external end of the engaging hole 20. While the engaging pin 18 is pushed into the hole 16 against the spring 17, a pulling up force is given, and then when the engagement between the pin 18 and the hole 20 is disengaged the shaft 3 is pulled up by a definite distance h. This distance h is equal to the distance from the upper edge of the engaging hole 20 to the lower surface of the plate 21. The distance is determined by the depth of engagement between the dial rings and the engaging rings. In other words, this is the minimum distance necessary to be prepared among the adjoining dial rings in order to disengage the engagement between the dial rings and the engaging rings. Now the engaging pin 18 getting out of the engaging hole 20 goes up along the vertical groove 19 and comes into contact with the plate to stop. Therefore, there is no risk of the pin coming ofi extremely. There are various methods for fixing the plate 21. If the hole 37 in the plate 21 is put onto the protruding piece 36 prepared on the upper surface of the case 14, and the upper end of the protruding piece 36 is calked to form the expansion part 36a, the complete fixing can be achieved. Also, as long as the above mentioned distance h is kept, the lower end of the short arm will stick up to the collar and will not come back to the on position. Therefore, even if the dial rings are moved by mistake, the engaging rings are held in the present position. There is no fear of the combination numbers becoming incomprehensible.

Next, if the shaft 3 is pulled up and the dial rings 7, 8, 9 are turned by force applied, the dial rings 7, 8, 9, are freely rotated, although the engaging rings are stayed, because among the dial rings 7, 8, 9, there are gaps to such an extent that the engagement between the dial rings and the engaging

rings

4, 5, 6 are disengaged. So, after the required numbers are aligned with the arrow, the combination numbers can be freely selected by lowering the shaft 3. In this case, when the shaft 3 is lowered, the engaging pin 18 is lowered, sliding down along the vertical groove 19 and when it matches with the engaging hole 20, the engaging pin 18 is pushed by the spring 17 to plunge into the engaging hole 20 and the shaft 3 is fixed in the definite position. At this time, the numbers indicated at the arrow become the new combination numbers.

Next, the example in the FIG. 3 shows that, with the long arm pulled up, the engaging hole 20 is reopened, (as the lower end of long arm is pulled up, the engaging hole 20 is not disturbed by the arm) and the slender pin 35 is inserted into the hole to push up the engaging pin 18 so that the engagement between the engaging pin and the engaging hole can be unfastened. Then, likewise in the example of FIG. 4 mentioned above, the shaft 3 is drawn up, and among the adjoining dial rings. there are gaps to the degree that the engagement with the engaging rings can be unfastened. By engaging the long arm a with the notches 25, the rotation of the

rings

4, 5, 6 is brought to a stop and after that, when the dial rings are turned, they are separately rotated, and when the required numbers are matched with the arrow, any combination numbers can be freely selected. Next, by lowering the shaft 3 to engage the engaging pin 18 of the shaft 3 with the engaging hole 20, the numbers indicated by the arrow are fixed for the combination numbers of the lock and after that, it becomes impossible to change them until the shaft 3 is lifted up. As long as the short arm is not turned to the on position side while the shaft 3 is lowered, the engaging rings will not rotate, thus the combination numbers are decided on the numbers indicated by the arrow, without fear of disorder.

The examples of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show that the numbers 0, l. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are described on the dial rings and three dial rings are used. Of course, the numbers can be replaced by the letters A, B, C, and also more than three dial rings can be used. Every time the dial rings are increased, the different combinations of letters or marks are sharply increased. When the dial rings are turned at random, there is less probability of the unlocking numbers coming out. Even if other persons try many different combinations to unfasten the lock, it will become impossible to unfasten the lock in a short time.

According to this invention, the dial rings are engaged with the engaging rings by unevenness and the long arm is engaged with the notches of the engaging rings, or the

notches

30, 31, 32 of the long arm are engaged with the circular collars 23 of the engaging rings. Hence, if the unlocking numbers are not aligned with the arrow when the short arm is in the on position, unlocking is impossible.

If the openings among adjoining dial rings are more broadened than the depth of engagement between said rings and the engaging rings and also the engaging rings are engaged with the long arm, it will be possible to change the unlocking numbers freely by rotating the dial rings separately. In addition, the rise limit of long arm and the length of short arm are fixed, and when the dial rings are separately rotated, the short arm is designed not to turn to the on position. Hence, there is no fear of the engaging rings moving, when the combination numbers are altered, and even if the dial rings are turned carelessly, there is no mistaking new combination numbers.

Further, the hole 16 is made in the fitting protrusion of the shaft 3, and the spring 17 and the engaging pin 18 are inserted into the hole in order. The engaging pin 18 is always retained in a protruding form and a vertical groove is prepared in a sidewall of the central hole 15 opposite to the engaging pin 18. The engaging hole 20 is made in this groove. Hence, if the shaft 3 is put in the central hole 15, the engaging hole 20 automatically engages the pin 18, and when a slender pin inserted from the said hole 20 pushes the said pin 18 into the hole 16, the shaft 3 can be lifted to the degree that the dial rings can be separately rotated. When the shaft 3 is lowered, there is displayed an effect that the engaging pin automatically engages the engaging hole. Accordingly, the change in the combination numbers can be made very easily. There is no fear of the combination numbers becoming incomprehensible by errors in operation. Even if the users operate the lock freely, there is no fear ofa locks losing its function or getting damaged.

1. A combination lock in which the combination can be changed without disassembling the lock, comprising a shaft having a collar formed at one end with a hole formed in said collar, engaging rings loosely rotatably fitted on said shaft, a dial ring mounted on and exteriorly of each of said engaging rings and a circular collar fixed to and extending inwardly from each said engaging ring; each pair of one said dial ring and one said engaging ring interengaged for rotation as a unit by notched uneven parts thereon, a case having a central hole therein, a fitting protrusion located on the other end of said shaft from said collar, and said protrusion positioned with the central hole in said case, said dial rings positioned in sliding closely contacting engagement about said shaft between said collar thereon and said case, an inverted U-shaped lock bail having a long arm and a short arm arranged with its long arm extending through said collar the inside of said engaging rings and into said case, said long arm of said bail having spaced notches on one side thereof for engagement with said circular collars of said engaging rings in the locked condition of said lock, each of said circular collars on said engaging rings having a notch arranged to be rotated into alignment with said long arm of said bail, said bail having a locked position with said short arm located in the hole in said collar on said shaft and said long arm restrained from axial displacement by the engagement of said circular collar on said engaging rings with said notches in said long arm and an unlocked position with said long arm aligned in the notches of said circular collars so that said bail can be displaced axially within said shaft and said short arm angularly displaced about said long arm from align ment with the hole in the collar of said shaft and in the unlocked position said shaft is displaceable in the axial direction of said long arm a distance just sufficient for disengaging said dial rings from said engaging rings so that said dial rings are freely rotatable while said engaging rings are secured against rotation by said long arm and in this position said shaft arm is incapable of displacement into alignment with the hole in the collar of said shaft.

2. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fitting protrusion having a hole therein extending perpendicularly to the axial direction of said long arm within said shaft, a spring positioned within the hole in said fitting protrusion, a pin inserted into said hole and biased outwardly therefrom by said spring, a plate positioned on the surface of said case adjacent said dial rings mounted above said shaft, said case having an engaging hole formed therein arranged for alignment with the hole in said fitting protrusion, and when in the unlocked position said shaft is displaceable in the axial direction of said long arm said pin biased outwardly from the hole in said fitting protrusion abuts the surface of said plate on said case.

3. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said long arm arranged to be displaced axially through said case out of alignment with the hole in said fitting protrusion and the engaging hole in said case, and means on the end of said long arm for preventing its displacement from said case.

4. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 3, wherein a slender pin insertable into the engaging hole in said case for passage therethrough into engagement with said engaging pin in the hole in said fitting protrusion for displacing said engaging pin against the biasing action of said spring.

5. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said long arm of said lock bail having a through hole therein extending transversely of the axial direction of said long arm and spaced axially from the hole'in said fitting protrusion containing said engaging pin, in the unlocked position, said long arm being axially displaceable within said case in the direction away from said collar on said shaft for aligning the through hole in said long arm with the hole in said fitting protrusion and the engaging hole in said case, and a slender pin arranged to be inserted through the engaging hole in said case the through hole in said long arm for displacing said engaging pin within the hole in said fitting protrusion against the biasing action of said spring therein.

6. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a flangelike expansion part formed on the end of said long arm located within said case, in the unlocked position when said shaft is displaced in the axial direction of said long arm a distance just sufficient for disengaging said dial rings from said engaging rings said long arm is displaceable in the same direction but is retained from continued displacement through said case and shaft by said case, the extent of axial displacement of said long arm being limited so that in such position with said shaft displaced axially said short arm of said lock bail can not be pivoted into alignment with the hole in said collar of said shaft.

Claims

1. A combination lock in which the combination can be changed without disassembling the lock, comprising a shaft having a collar formed at one end with a hole formed in said collar, engaging rings loosely rotatably fitted on said shaft, a dial ring mounted on and exteriorly of each of said engaging rings and a circular collar fixed to and extending inwardly from each said engaging ring; each pair of one said dial ring and one said engaging ring interengaged for rotation as a unit by notched uneven parts thereon, a case having a central hole therein, a fitting protrusion located on the other end of said shaft from said collar, and said protrusion positioned with the central hole in said case, said dial rings positioned in sliding closely contacting engagement about said shaft between said collar thereon and said case, an inverted U-shaped lock bail having a long arm and a short arm arranged with its long arm extending through said collar the inside of said engaging rings and into said case, said long arm of said bail having spaced notches on one side thereof for engagement with said circular collars of said engaging rings in the locked condition of said lock, each of said circular collars on said engaging rings having a notch arranged to be rotated into alignment with said long arm of said bail, said bail having a locked position with said short arm located in the hole in said collar on said shaft and said long arm restrained from axial displacement by the engagement of said circular collar on said engaging rings with said notches in said long arm and an unlocked position with said long arm aligned in the notches of said circular collars so that said bail can be displaced axially within said shaft and said short arm angularly displaced about said long arm from alignment with the hole in the collar of said shaft and in the unlocked position said shaft is displaceable in the axial direction of said long arm a distance just sufficient for disengaging said dial rings from said engaging rings so that said dial rings are freely rotatable while said engaging rings are secured against rotation by said long arm and in this position said shaft arm is incapable of displacement into alignment with the hole in the collar of said shaft.

5. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said long arm of said lock bail having a through hole therein extending transversely of the axial direction of said long arm and spaced axially from the hole in said fitting protrusion containing said engaging pin, in the unlocked position, said long arm being axially displaceable within said case in the direction away from said collar on said shaft for aligning the through hole in said long arm with the hole in said fitting protrusion and the engaging hole in said case, and a slender pin arranged to be inserted through the engaging hole in said case the through hole in said long arm for displacing said engaging pin within the hole in said fitting protrusion against the biasing action of said spring therein.