Claims
- 1. A barrel lock and key therefor comprising:
- (a) a barrel lock having a hollow cylindrical lock barrel having a closed front end and an apertured rear end, said lock barrel having a stepped axially extending bore, a front bore of said stepped bore having a relatively small diameter and a rear bore of said stepped bore having a relatively large diameter;
- (b) said stepped barrel bore having an annular shoulder forming the junction between said front bore and said rear bore;
- (c) at least two radially extending passageways running from an outer aperture in the exterior surface of said lock barrel to an inner aperture in said front bore of said lock barrel, and a locking member mounted in each said passageway for limited movement therein, said locking member restrained from completely escaping through said outer aperture;
- (d) a cylindrical plunger having a stepped axially extending exterior surface sized and shaped to slidably fit and reciprocate within said stepped bore of said lock barrel, the forward movement of said plunger being limited by said lock barrel annular shoulder, said plunger having a front exterior portion which is sized and shaped to permit said locking members to move radially inward, said plunger having a middle exterior portion which is sized and shaped to prevent said locking members from moving radially inward, said plunger in its rearward position opening the inner aperture of each said passageway and permitting each said locking member to move radially inward to its unlocking position, said plunger in its forward positioin closing the inner aperture of each said passageway forcing each said locking member outwardly to its locking position;
- (e) said cylindrical plunger having an open rear end and an axially extending circular blind bore, the interior surface of said blind bore defining a cylindrical gripping surface;
- (f) deterrent means for preventing picking of said barrel lock, said deterrent means having a washer-shape which has uniform circular walls forming a central completely circular opening, said deterrent means being positioned within said rear bore of said lock barrel against said rear end of said plunger, the diameter of said completely circular central opening being uniform and being always smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical gripping surface of said circular plunger blind bore;
- (g) a top compression spring positioned in said rear bore of said lock barrel, one end of said top compression spring bearing against the rear end of said deterrent means and urging said deterrent means against said plunger;
- (h) a bottom compression spring positioned in said rear bore, said bottom compression spring bearing against the forward end of said deterrent means and against said plunger, said bottom compression spring urging said plunger forwardly;
- (i) a key adapted to be inserted into said barrel lock and passed through said central circular opening in said deterrent means, said key having a hollow cylindrical key barrel having an apertured front end and an apertured rear end;
- (j) a plurality of elongated relatively small diameter outer expanding fingers extending longitudinally forward through said key barrel apertured front end, said outer expanding fingers being fixed at their rear portios to a bushing which is axially movable within said key barrel and which is urged towards said front end of said key barrel, said outer expanding fingers having radially spreadable relatively large diameter gripping surface engaging finger tips;
- (k) a key plunger extending longitudinally and rearwardly through said key barrel apertured rear end, said key plunger being axially movable within said key barrel, said key plunger positioned to the rear of said expanding fingers bushing;
- (l) a cylindrical expander rod having an enlarged forward head, said expander rod telescopically slidable within said expanding fingers, the length of said expander rod being greater than the length of said expanding fingers, the rear end of said expander rod being fixed to said key plunger; and
- (m) a key handle pivoted to the rear end of said key plunger, said key handle being manually pivotable to axially reciprocate said key plunger between a forward locked position in which said expander rod head is positioned forward of said expanding finger tips and said expanding finger tips are unspread and have a maximum diameter which is smaller than the uniform diameter of said deterrent means central circular opening, and a rearward unlocked position in which said expander rod is retracted to initially spread said relatively large diameter expanding finger tips to have a maximum diameter which is larger than the uniform diameter of said deterrent means central circular opening, and into firm engagement with said plunger blind bore gripping surface, while maintaining said relatively small diameter outer expanding fingers out of engagement with said deterrent means circular opening walls, and to subsequently pull said fully spread expanding finger tips and said plunger rearwardly permitting said locking members to move to their unlocking positions.
- 2. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 1 wherein said deterrent means is a washer-shaped deterrent ring having a central circular opening.
- 3. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 2 wherein said top compression spring and said bottom compression spring are partially compressed.
- 4. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 3 wherein said plunger has an annular shoulder, and said bottom spring bears against said annular shoulder.
- 5. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 3 wherein each said locking member is a locking ball and said outer aperture of each said passageway has a small inwardly extending rim preventing said locking ball from completely escaping through said outer aperture.
- 6. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 1 wherein said expanding fingers are a portion of a hollow cylinder having a plurality of longitudinally, equally spaced-apart slits, said slits running rearwardly from the front end of said cylinder, said cylinder being fixed at its rear end to said expanding fingers bushing.
- 7. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 6 wherein said key plunger is urged forwardly.
- 8. The barrel lock and key as claimed in claim 7 wherein an axially positioned outer coil spring urges said expanding fingers bushing forwardly, and a coaxially positioned inner coil spring urges said key plunger forwardly, said inner and outer coil springs acting continuously.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 842,074, filed on Mar. 19, 1986, and now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 595,434, filed Mar. 30, 1984, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
842074 |
Mar 1986 |
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Parent |
595434 |
Mar 1984 |
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