Information
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Patent Grant
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6233985
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Patent Number
6,233,985
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Date Filed
Friday, January 14, 200024 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, May 22, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A coupling lock having a base, a catch provided on the base, a restraining member on a free end of the catch. A matching cover is also provided on the base, having a channel with a through hole provided through the channel. The through hole is located so that when the cover is closed upon the base, the catch is inserted into the channel while the restraining member on the catch is deformed to penetrate into the through hole due to the compression by the cover. Such penetration secures the base and the cover together. A locking coil chamber member containing a plurality of pins located in multiple rows is provided on the base.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a coupling lock, and more particularly, to a lock that firmly secures together a base and cover without any fixing member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art of a coupling lock, e.g. that used to lock up a bike, is comprised of a base, an accommodation chamber provided in the base, and a keyway extending outwardly from and connected through said chamber to permit the insertion of a key. A block in said chamber is provided at its front end with multiple channels arranged in a single row, having a pin respectively provided in each of said channels. A lever protrudes outwardly from said block and is connected to a plunger at the other end of said lever and in parallel to said block. One end of said plunger fits into a recess in the lever, while the other end freely fits into the base so as to allow the insertion of a correct key tab. A plurality of holes on the key tab respectively match with corresponding pins to allow the pins to disengage from the channels for the block to move inward, in turn the plunger also moves to unlock by releasing the locking lever. Furthermore, a matching cover is provided above the base and both are provided with holes to accept the insertion of a screw, which fixes together the base and the cover. However, the prior art coupling lock has the following defectives:
1. Relying upon the locking by the screw to tightly incorporate the base and the cover not only makes the assembling sophisticated but also is vulnerable to falling apart due to the loosening of the screw from the locking hole.
2. The single row arrangement of the channels on the block allows only variance in quantity. As a result, the combination can be easily broken.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a coupling lock allowing easy and efficient attachment of the base and the cover.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a coupling lock comprised of a base, a matching cover, a channel provided on said cover, a catch, and a through hole provided at one side of said channel. Thus, when the cover closes upon the base, the catch is inserted into the channel. A restraint on the catch is deformed due to the compression from the cover and extends into the through hole to hook upon it, thereby firmly securing the base and the cover.
Another objective yet of the present invention is to provide a coupling lock with a locking coil chamber member provided on the base and multiple pins provided in multiple rows in the chamber member to offer more combinations than the single row arrangement of the prior art to frustrate any illegal unlocking attempts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded view of the present intention.
FIG. 2
is a schematic view of the present invention showing the incorporated base and cover.
FIG. 3
is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the operation of the present invention.
FIG. 4
is another schematic cross-sectional view showing the operation of the present invention
FIG. 5
is a schematic view showing the present invention with a key inserted.
FIG. 6
is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the present invention without a key inserted.
FIG. 7
is a sectional cross-sectional view of the present invention with the key inserted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
3
and
4
, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. It is comprised of a lock set
10
containing a base
20
and a catch
21
protruding outwardly from the base
20
. Said catch
21
in the preferred embodiment includes a restraining member
22
extending therefrom at a free end of said catch
21
. Said restraining member
22
of the preferred embodiment comprises a tapered protrusion (provided, however, that other elements may be used by those who are familiar with the practices of said art).
A matching cover
30
is provided on the base
20
, including a channel
31
vertical to the cover provided on said cover corresponding to the location of catch
21
. A laterally extending through hole
32
is provided through the channel
31
located so that, when the cover
30
closes upon the base
20
, the catch
21
is inserted into the channel
31
and the restraining member
22
is deformed to penetrate into the through hole
32
due to the pressure created by the cover
30
. Consequently, both the base
20
and the cover
30
are firmly secured together as illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 4
.
Furthermore, as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a block
23
extending outwardly from one side of said base
20
engages connector
24
. Said connector
24
is incorporated into one end of a locking lever
40
with a bolt
241
and another end of said locking lever
40
is connected to a mobile block
25
with another bolt
251
. Catch
252
protrudes outwardly from said mobile block
25
and extends into the open channel
27
of the base
20
and bears against a resilient member
53
.
A recess
26
is provided in said base
20
to accommodate a locking coil chamber member
50
. A plurality of laterally extending channel holes
51
with corresponding pins
52
are arranged in multiple rows in the chamber member
50
. One end of each pin
52
contacts another resilient member
56
, which is in the form of a coil in the preferred embodiment (provided, however, that other member may be used by those who are familiar with the practices of said art). Said pins
52
are kept partially exposed from the chamber member
50
by the force of said resilient members
56
. One side of said chamber member
50
is connected to a resilient member
57
with one end resting on the base
20
. Furthermore, a laterally extending link
54
is provided on the chamber member
50
. Said link
54
is a lever in the preferred embodiment (provided, however, that other member may be used by those who are familiar with the practices of said art). Said link
54
is connected to a locking bolt
55
. One side of said locking bolt
55
is connected to another resilient member
58
with one end resting on the base
20
urging said locking bolt
55
to merely snap on the catch
252
of the mobile block
25
. An insertion channel
28
connected to a space
26
is provided in the surface of the cover
30
and base
20
to permit the insertion of a key
60
as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
Now referring to
FIGS. 2
,
5
6
and
7
, the key
60
is inserted into the insertion channel
28
and both of the key
60
and a matching concavity
61
rest upon the pins
52
. The exposed portions of the pins
52
outside the chamber member
50
, as illustrated in
FIG. 6
, retreats into the chamber member
50
due to the compression by the key
60
, as illustrated in FIG.
7
. In turn the key
60
keeps moving forward to push against the link
54
and the entire chamber member
50
moves, then the locking bolt
55
also moves accordingly to disengage from the catch
252
. Finally, the locking lever
40
on the catch
252
is separated from the lock
10
. Since the pins
52
in the chamber member
50
are not arranged on the same row, they provide more variety of combinations to prevent easy unlocking of the lock
10
without correct key.
Claims
- 1. A releasable coupling lock comprising:a) a lock set comprising: i) a housing including a base having a catch with a restraining member extending from a free end of the catch and a matching cover including a channel aligned with the catch, a wall bounding one side of the channel having a through hole, the cover being fixedly attached to the base by deformation of the restraining member into engagement with the through hole; ii) a locking coil chamber member slidably located in the housing, the locking coil chamber member having a plurality of movable pins arranged in a plurality of rows, and a link extending therefrom, the locking coil chamber member movable between locked and unlocked positions within the housing; iii) a locking bolt slidably located in the housing and engaged with the link and movable with the locking coil chamber member between locked and unlocked position; iv) at least one spring device biasing the locking coil chamber member and the locking bolt toward the locked position; and, v) an insertion channel in the housing to facilitate insertion of a key into the housing; b) a locking lever having a first end attached to a first side of the housing, and a second end mounted to a mobile block having a second catch insertable into a second side of the housing so as to be engaged by the locking bolt when in the locked position; and, c) a key having a plurality of concavities therein equal to the plurality of movable pins, such that, when the key is inserted into the housing, the pins are moved by the key thereby allowing an end of the key to engage the link and move the locking coil chamber member and the locking bolt to the unlocked position.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
44515 |
Oct 1910 |
AT |
2123850 |
Nov 1972 |
DE |
325346 |
Feb 1930 |
GB |
400567 |
Oct 1933 |
GB |
643943 |
Sep 1950 |
GB |