Patent Application
20160060918
Residential security containers are increasingly popular in use, particularly the larger styles often referred to as “gun safes” or “home safes.” One of the most common styles of home safe is an upright, rectangular, free-standing structure, with a front opening door. These home safes usually have a safe body with a door frame defining an opening that leads to an interior space and a door attached to the safe body by hinges that swings into the opening in the door frame.
Most types of safes, including commercial safes and larger home safes, have a hand wheel or lever on the exterior side of the door that is attached through an opening in the door to a locking system on the interior side of the door. The locking system is usually attached to and controls the movement of carriages, which have a series of cylindrical lock pins attached thereto, positioned along the interior sides and sometimes the top and bottom of the door. Larger or commercial grade safes may have heavier carriages, more lock pins, or both; but, the principle of operation is often the same. There is a multitude of locking systems utilized with safes that include and are operated with a hand wheel or lever to move the carriages and the lock pins attached thereto. They typically operate by a lever system controlled with the hand wheel that is turned in one direction to move the carriage towards the edge of the door so that the lock pins are extended through pin holes in sides of the door panel frame. Thus, they can abut or otherwise engage with the door frame in the safe body to lock the door in place. If the hand wheel is turned in the opposite direction, the carriage is moved away from the door panel frame, retracting the lock pins through the pin holes, so they cannot abut the door frame, allowing the door to be opened.
Home safes that utilize this system can provide sufficient security for most situations. But, it has been shown that persistent effort with simple tools can effectively bend the door, bolt carriage, and/or the locking bolts so they no longer abut or contact the door frame, allowing access to the safe interior. This is often referred to as a “pry attack.” There have been numerous advances and changes to the locking mechanisms employed with these types of devices and to the configuration and position of the carriages and lock pins relative to the door frame. However, there have been no real changes or improvements to the actual lock pins or methods by which lock pins can engage with the door frame or safe body to secure the door to the housing.
Embodiments of the subject invention are directed towards methods and devices for preventing a door, such as the door of a safe, from being breached by forcibly disengaging one or more lock pins so that they no longer conjoin with the door frame, safe body, or other securing structure around the door. The embodiments of the subject invention successfully address the above described disadvantages associated with the previously known lock pins and provide certain attributes and advantages that have not been realized by other known lock pins utilized in personal, home or commercial safes. The lock pin embodiments disclosed herein provide a novel, inexpensive, and convenient solution for better securing all types of closures against forcible entry.
In accordance with embodiments of the subject invention, the ability to forcibly breach an opening or door is inhibited by the use of lock pins that can be rotated, so as to directly couple or conjoin to one or more components of the safe body. The rotatable lock pin embodiments described herein can be employed as abutments against the door frame or other components of a safe body to prevent or inhibit opening of the door. One lock pin embodiment of the subject invention can also be advantageously configured to couple or conjoin to the door frame or another component of the safe body in a fashion that inhibits the lock pins from being bent, turned, pushed, or otherwise moved out of place, preventing them from operating as an abutment against opening the door, hatch, lid, window, or other type of closure. Additional lock pin embodiments can be configured to inhibit their being forcibly reversibly rotated and can have features that engage with one or more components of the door frame or safe body, particularly during a forced entry.
A specific embodiment of a rotatable lock pin, according to the subject invention, can have a first end that is rotatably attached to a carriage or other moveable structure, such as usually found in a safe. Most home safes, for example, have a carriage that is operated by a lever system controlled by the locking mechanism of the safe. The second, opposite end of the lock pin can have a latch that can be conjoined with or abut against another structure in the safe. Alternatively, the latch can be shaped so as to pass through a specifically configured opening, or key hole, located in the safe body, such as, for example, in the door frame, a strike plate, or another component of the safe body, as will be disclosed. The lock pin can further have one or more curvatures of rotation that cause the lock pin to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the lock pin.
In one embodiment, the curvature of rotation is provided by one or more grooves or cam tracks that curve, bend, or turn along at least part of the length of the lock pin. The cam track can be further cooperatively engaged with one or more cam guides that cause the lock pin to turn as it travels along the length of the cam groove or cam track. A cam guide can be located within pin holes in the door panel frame through which the rotatable lock pins can traverse prior to conjoining with or abutting against some other structure on the safe body. In a particular embodiment, there is at least one key hole in the safe body specifically shaped so as to allow the latch on the lock pin to pass through when aligned with the opening in one direction and prevent it from passing through or being removed from the key hole when misaligned or in a different direction.
Alternatively, a cam guide can be placed in another location and/or on another structure in a safe. For example, a cam guide could be located on the door frame of the safe, such that the lock pin will engage the cam guide after it exits the pin hole. The cam track can be configured to allow the pin cylinder to pass through a key hole and/or the cam guide a sufficient distance before rotating or turning to engage with the safe body or other securing structure.
Another embodiment provide a curvature of rotation by employing a lock pin having a non-circular circumferential shape, where the lock pin is also twisted between the proximal end and distal ends. This provides a lock pin with a linear curvature between the two ends. When mated with a compatibly shaped key hole and/or pin hole, the lock pin can turn as it advances through a hole. This can cause the same effect as a cam guide and groove described above, where the distal end is turned or rotated from its original position, as the locking mechanism is operated and the lockpins are moved linearly.
Operation of the locking mechanism in a safe can provide the force necessary to drive a lock pin and create the linear motion necessary to advance the one or more rotatable lock pins, attached to a carriage, through the pin hole in the door panel frame. This, in turn, can allow a latch, which is an extension on the lock pin, to pass through a keyhole opening. By way of a non-limiting example, as the lock pin moves through the pin hole in the door panel frame, a cam track can engage with the cam guide in the pin hole. As mentioned above, a cam guide can be located elsewhere on the safe, such that it is not continuously engaged with the cam track. This would cause the cam track on a lock pin to engage with a cam guide after the lock pin passes through a pin hole in the door panel frame. In another non-limiting example, a twisted lock pin could also have a latch and as the twisted on the lock pin is advanced through the pin hole, it can turn or rotate, causing the latch to also turn or rotate. Either configuration causes the linear motion of the lock pin to be translated into rotational motion, such that the lock pin turns, altering the alignment of the latch to a different location, position, or direction, such that the latch is no longer aligned with the key hole and/or becomes engaged with some structure on the safe body. This can prevent the lock pin from being either forcibly removed from the key hole opening and/or displaced from abutment against a door edge or other safe structure to which the latch has been conjoined. To remove a lock pin from a key hole or to unconjoin or disengage a latch, the locking mechanism can be operated in reverse, which will pull the carriage away, to which the lock pin is attached, from the door panel frame and simultaneously cause an embodiment of a lock pin to rotate in reverse to that it is returned to the original position, and so that the latch can become disengaged with the safe body and, if necessary, pass back through the key hole.
Often, when a home safe is breached, it is because the door was bent or pried sufficiently out of alignment to disengage one or more lock pins from the door frame. An alternative breach strategy is to drill one or more holes into the side of a home safe in a location that allows access to at least one lock pin. Because, in a typical home safe, all of the lock pins on each side of a door are attached to carriages, forcibly pushing just one lock pin back away from the door frame can, with some safes, simultaneously move all of the lock pins on that carriage, thereby simultaneously disengaging all of them from the door frame. Once all of the lock pins on a carriage are pushed back, the door can be easily opened after the locking mechanism is defeated.
One advantage of the lock pin embodiments of the subject invention is their ability to inhibit disengagement from their abutment against or across the door frame on the safe body by bending the lock pins themselves or bending other components in the safe to which the lock pin is attached. Because they can be secured at both ends to other components of the safe, it is more difficult to move or pry them away from the safe body, door frame, or other structures in the safe. Thus, attempting to bend or move the lock pins of the subject invention away from the door frame can entail also bending other components of the safe as well, such as the door or the carriage.
Other embodiments of a lock pin can have one or more cross-cuts that engage with components of a safe body only when there is an attempt to pry open the safe door. The cross-cuts can be perpendicular, or approximately perpendicular, to the longitudinal axis of a lock pin. When a safe door is pried it forces the lock pins against the door frame in an attempt to bend them. A cross-cut can be configured to “catch” on the door frame, inhibiting the lock pin from sliding against the door frame and being further bent out of place.
The embodiments of the subject invention successfully address the above described disadvantages associated with the previously known lock pin, particularly lock pins in safes, by providing devices and methods with certain attributes and advantages that have not been previously realized with known lock pins. In particular, the subject invention provides novel, inexpensive, and highly effective devices and methods for conveniently and more effectively engaging lock pins with a safe body or other structure. The embodiments disclosed herein can be incorporated with existing devices or mechanism, such as those on a safe, without having to alter, adjust, or otherwise change the locking mechanism of the device or mechanism.
It should be noted that this Brief Summary is provided to generally introduce the reader to one or more select concepts described below in the Detailed Disclosure in a simplified form. This Summary is not intended to identify key and/or required features of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will also become apparent from the detailed descriptions given herein. It should be understood, however, that the detailed descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent from such descriptions. The invention is defined by the claims below.
In order that a more precise understanding of the above recited invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawings. The drawings presented herein may not be drawn to scale and any reference to dimensions in the drawings or the following description is specific to the embodiments disclosed. Any variations of these dimensions that will allow the subject invention to function for its intended purpose are considered to be within the scope of the subject invention. Thus, understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered as limiting in scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The subject invention describes embodiments of a unique lock pin system that can be used with doors, lids, and other closures on rooms, containers, safes, or other devices or mechanisms that employ a lock pin or bolt to secure the position of a structure on the device or mechanism, such as, for example, the door on a safe. More specifically, the subject invention provides one or more embodiments of lock pins utilized with safes, such as residential security containers or larger commercial safes, or similar devices, where the lock pins are capable of being more securely attached to the safe body and are inhibited from being moved, damaged, or otherwise altered, so that they no longer operate to secure the door of a safe. More specifically, the embodiments of the subject invention allow at least two ends of a lock pin to be secured to inhibit bending of the lock pin or prying of the lock pin out of a position that allows it to secure the container.
The following description will disclose that the subject invention is particularly useful in the field of safes, e.g., residential security containers or gun safes. However, the embodiments herein are not limited to just use in safes. Any closure, such as a door, lid, hatch, window, and other opening can benefit from the device embodiments of the subject invention. Thus, while the subject application is written towards a use for residential security containers, a.k.a., safes, a person with skill in the art will be able to recognize numerous other uses to which the devices and methods of the subject invention would be applicable. Thus, while the subject application describes, and many of the terms herein relate to, modified lock pins for residential security containers, other uses and associated modifications, apparent to a person with skill in the art and having benefit of the subject disclosure, are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention.
In the description that follows, a number of terms used related to safes are utilized. In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms, the following definitions are provided.
The terms “residential security container” and “safe” are interchangeable and used herein merely for literary convenience. These terms should not be construed as limiting in any way. The devices, apparatuses, methods, techniques, and/or procedures of the subject invention could be utilized with any type of container utilized for secure storage that can be locked and utilizes one or more lock pins or like components. This can include such containers as home safes, gun safes, wall safes, portable security safes, lock boxes, larger commercial safes, vaults, and other similar such devices. In addition, other locking mechanisms, such as deadbolts used to secure doors, hatches, windows, and the like, are also amenable for use with the embodiments of the subject invention.
Also, as used herein, and unless otherwise specifically stated, the terms “operable communication,” “operable connection,” “operably connected,” “cooperatively engaged,” and grammatical variations thereof mean that the particular elements are connected in such a way that they cooperate to achieve their intended function or functions. The “connection” or “engagement” may be direct or indirect, physical or remote.
Further, reference is made throughout the application to the “proximal end” and “distal end.” As used herein, the proximal end is that end nearest to or having an operable connection to the locking mechanism of a residential security container. Conversely, the distal end of the device is that end furthest from the locking mechanism, or that end that can be secured to the safe body, according to the embodiments of the subject invention.
The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended to be illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular for “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Reference will be made to the attached figures on which the same reference numerals are used throughout to indicate the same or similar components. With reference to the attached figures, which show certain embodiments of the subject invention, it can be seen, for example, in
A typical safe requires that some type of combination, code, or other unique external input or command, or some combination thereof, be utilized to release the locking mechanism control 45, e.g., rotating handle or lever. The locking mechanism control can be operably connected to the interior locking mechanism, so that rotation of the handle causes the locking mechanism to move one or more carriages to or away from a door panel frame 32. A door panel frame in most safes is at least one panel of rigid material near the door periphery 31 that extends away from the interior surface 5. When the safe door is closed, the door panel frame extends into the hollow interior 3 of the safe. More typically, the door panel frame is a series of panels, which can be attached, of rigid material near the door periphery 31 that extend perpendicularly from the interior surface 5. When the door is closed in the door frame, the door panel frame 32 faces the hollow interior 3. An example of this is shown in
With regard to the above description, there can be attached to the carriages a plurality of lock pins 70, according to the subject invention, which can be moved towards and away from the door panel frame 32 by the movement of the carriages 50. As will be described below, a lock pin can be engaged with the safe body 15 or, in other embodiments, with a keyhole 92, so that the lock pin is inhibited or prevented from being forcibly retracted towards the door panel frame 32, or being pried or otherwise forced past the safe body, allowing the safe to open. In one embodiment, a lock pin can be secured to one or more structures already present on the interior of the safe body 15, such as, for example, around the door frame 17. Alternatively, a safe 10 can be modified to include one or more keyholes 92. In one specific embodiment, at least one strike plate 90 having one or more keyholes 92 can be incorporated into the interior of the safe body, an example of which is shown in
The embodiments of the subject invention pertain particularly to an improved lock pin 70 design that can be incorporated with the current designs for residential security containers. Advantageously, the lock pin embodiments of the subject invention can be operated in the same manner and with the same mechanisms currently used to control and move lock pins in residential security containers. Thus, current residential security container designs can incorporate one or more lock pins, according to the subject invention, without necessarily having to make any or significant changes to the other components of the security container. This can also permit residential security containers already in use to be retro-fitted to operate with one or more lock pins of the subject invention. The operation and mechanisms of residential security containers are well-known to those with skill in the art. Therefore, they will not be discussed herein, except as they relate to the lock pin embodiments of the subject invention and their operation.
The lock pin 70 embodiments of the subject invention, in general, have a curvature of rotation 300 between the proximal end 80 and the distal end 86 that, when engaged or activated, causes the lock pin to rotate or turn around the longitudinal axis 87 of the lock pin. The curvature of rotation is activated or engaged with a rotation facilitator 325 that operates with the curvature of rotation to rotate or turn the lock pin. Rotation of the lock pin can further cause the distal end of the lock pin or a component thereon, such as, for example, a latch to engage with another component to secure the position of the lock pin. This in turn, can secure a door, lid, window, hatch, or any other device to which the lock pin is operably connected.
One embodiment of a lock pin operates similarly to the principles of barrel cam and follower pin systems. However, the lock pin embodiments of the subject invention are novel in that the following pin, or rotation facilitator, is a fixed cam guide 54 and the barrel cam, having the curvature of rotation, is a linearly actuated pin cylinder 71.
In one embodiment, the rotatable connector apparatus 60 allows the lock pin to rotate around the longitudinal axis 87 of the lock pin, as illustrated in
The pin cylinder of a lock pin can provide the mechanism by which a latch is moved in and out of a key hole 92. In one embodiment, the pin cylinder 71 is an elongate, columnar shaped component, not unlike lock pins currently used in many safes. In a further embodiment, the lock pin is made of a rigid material that resists bending. Typical lock pins used in safes are made of steel, iron, or other high-tensile metals. However, alternative materials, such as, for example, carbon fibers, ceramics, plastics, or combinations thereof, can be utilized instead of or in addition to one or more metals. It is within the skill of a person trained in the art to determine an appropriate material for use as a pin cylinder. Such variations, which provide the same function, in substantially the same way, with substantially the same result, are within the scope of this invention.
The lock pins used in most residential security containers, and other types of safes, have a circular circumferential shape, as shown in the example in
In addition, the diameter(s) of a pin cylinder can vary. It can be preferable for a pin cylinder to have the same or similar dimensions (diameter, length, etc.) as a lock pin used in a specific type or brand of safe. Thus, if an existing safe is to be retrofitted with the embodiments of the subject invention, minimal or no modifications to the other safe components are necessary. In one embodiment, the diameter of a pin cylinder is at least 0.5″, 1″, 1.5″, 2″, 2.5″, 3″, 3.5″, 4″, 4.5″, 5″, 5.5″, 6″, 6.5″, 7″, 7.5″, 8″, 8.5″, 9″, 9.5″, 10″, 10.5″, 11″, 11.5″, or 12″ or a size in a range between any two of the listed values. Typical residential security containers can have a pin cylinder diameter of at least 0.5″, 1″, 1.5″, 2″, 2.5″, 3″, 3.5″, 4″, 4.5″, 5″, 5.5″, 6″, 6.5″, 7″, or 7.5″. Utilizing embodiments of the subject invention, it will be understood by a skilled artisan that the diameter of a pin cylinder can vary depending upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, width of a door panel frame, the size of a key hole, the dimensions of a carriage, the material of the pin cylinder, the circumferential shape of the pin cylinder, the size or type of safe in which the pin cylinder is used, etc. Such variations which provide the same function, in substantially the same way, with substantially the same result are within the scope of this invention.
In one embodiment, a pin cylinder has one or more cam tracks 72 that extend from at or about the proximal end 80 of the pin cylinder to at or about the distal end 85 of the pin cylinder. In an alternative embodiment, a cam track 72 extends from at or about the proximal end 80 of the pin cylinder to at or about the location of the latch 78. The cam track can open onto the proximal end 80 and/or the distal end 85 of the pin cylinder, such that there is a cut-out or divot 76 on the proximal end 80 of the pin cylinder, which can be seen, for example, in
In one embodiment, a cam track 72 is a channel or groove cut into or otherwise formed on the outer surface 75 of the pin cylinder 71. A cam track can be a cut-out channel within the pin cylinder, such that the cam track is recessed within the pin cylinder, which is shown, for example, in
In a further embodiment, at least one cam guide 54 is disposed within a pin hole 34 and can extend into the cam track when the pin cylinder is positioned in the pin hole, such as shown, for example, in
As mentioned above, there can be more than one cam track on a pin cylinder and more than one cam guide in a pin hole. Further, since a safe usually has more than one lock pin, each lock pin could have one or more cam tracks and pin holes in different locations.
As described above, a cam guide 54 can be used to engage with a cam track 72 so as to, essentially, force a pin cylinder to follow a pre-determined rotation. Thus, it can be advantageous for the cam guide to be sufficiently rigid to operate with the cam track. As will be described in detail below, a cam track can have any of a variety of configurations, including being cut into or raised above the outer surface of a pin cylinder. A cam track can also have a consistent or a variable depth along its length. Ideally, a cam guide extends into an opening through which a pin cylinder will pass, examples of which are shown in
In one embodiment, a cam guide is fixedly and/or permanently attached to a structure, by any device or technique known in the art, so that at least a portion of the cam guide forms a sort of tooth, flange, or other projection that juts into or imposes into the space of the opening. In one embodiment, a cam guide is cut or formed within the pin holes 34, such that it is coplanar with the pin hole. In an alternative embodiment, a cam guide is positioned on either side of a pin hole, such that it is not coplanar with the pin hole, but still extends towards and intersects the pin hole, so that a pin cylinder and cam track operating within the pin hole can encounter and interact with the cam guide. With these embodiments, the cam guide is formed as part of the carriage, so that the shape, depth, and location of the cam guide can be fixed and immovable.
In an alternative embodiment, the cam guide is attached by using other devices or techniques, known in the art, that allow the cam guide to be moveable, interchangeable, and/or adjustable. With this embodiment, the cam guide depth, shape, and location can be altered as necessary to accommodate different cam track embodiments. In one embodiment, the structure to which a cam guide is attached includes one or a plurality of adjustment holes 59. In a further embodiment, a cam guide can have a tail piece 55 that can be used to attach the cam guide to any one or more of the adjustment holes. By way of non-limiting example, the tail piece 55 can be a flange attached to a cam guide that can be further attached by a screw or bolt through the adjustment hole to the structure.
The depth of a cam track 72 can depend upon several factors, including, but not limited to, the length, shape, or number of cam guides; the diameter of the pin cylinder; the type of cam track utilized (recessed or relief); and other factors understood by those with skill in the art. A cam guide can have a consistent depth along its length. Alternatively, a cam track can a variable depth along its length, which could accommodate pin cylinders having different shapes along their length, such as shown, for example in
Ideally, the length of a pin cylinder 71 and the path of a cam track 72 are designed so that when the pin cylinder 71 is fully extended through a key hole 92 and the latch 78 is turned, the safe door 30 is held firmly within the door frame 17 of the safe 10. This operation can be realized whether the cam guide is within a pin hole or located elsewhere in a safe. It can be preferable for a pin cylinder to have the same dimensions (diameter, length, etc.) as a standard lock pin used in a specific type or brand of safe. Thus, if an existing safe is to be retrofitted with the embodiments of the subject invention, minimal or no modifications to the other safe components would be necessary. In one embodiment, the length of a pin cylinder is at least 0.5″, 1″, 1.5″, 2″, 2.5″, 3″, 3.5″, 4″, 4.5″, 5″, 5.5″, 6″, 6.5″, 7″, 7.5″, 8″, 8.5″, 9″, 9.5″, 10″, 10.5″, 11″, 11.5″, or 12″, or a length in a range between any two of the listed values. It will be understood by a skilled artisan that the length of a pin cylinder can vary depending upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the position of the carriages, the distance traveled by the carriages during operation of the locking mechanism 40, the location or configuration of the one or more key holes, and the configuration of the door frame 17.
The length, turning radius or “pitch,” and linear path of a cam track can be important to the overall operation of a pin cylinder of the subject invention. These factors can also vary depending upon, for example, pin cylinder length, pin cylinder circumferential shape(s), location of the pin hole, the distance of a key hole from a pin hole, as well as other factors that would be understood by a person skilled in the art. The length and shape of the cam track can dictate the rotation and timing thereof a pin cylinder and when the latch 78 will engage with a key hole 92 or other structure on the safe. The cam track can also dictate how the pin cylinder is retracted and how close the distal end is pulled to the door panel frame to unlock the door.
Usually, though not mandatorily, the cam track 72 has a straight run 73 portion that maintains the pin cylinder 71 in one position so that the latch 78 is oriented to pass through a key hole or be properly emplaced relative to a structure on the door frame 17 or components thereof
Following the straight run 73, there can be a curved run 74 portion of the cam track that causes the pin cylinder to rotate, resulting in a reorientation position of the latch. It is important that the curved run 74 be configured to turn the pin cylinder only when a sufficient length thereof has been extended from the door frame so that the latch has been passed through the key hole or been otherwise properly oriented with the door frame. If the latch is turned prematurely, the door 30 of the safe might not close or lock properly.
Alternatively, the cam track 72 can be curved along the entire length of the pin cylinder. The key hole or other structure can be adjusted in size, shape, and/or orientation to accommodate the latch rotating as it approaches the key hole or other structure. Alternative cam track paths are also possible and can depend upon the configuration of the latch and/or key hole.
As detailed above, the operation of the lock pins is ultimately controlled by the operation of the locking mechanism control 45, e.g., handle, on the outside of the safe door 30. In one embodiment, the pitch of the curved run is such that there is a smooth, uninterrupted motion when the locking mechanism control advances the pin cylinder. In other words, the transition of the cam guide from a straight run 73 to a curved run 74 is minimally detectable when the locking mechanism control is utilized. In one embodiment, the curved run has a pitch that facilitates rotation of the latch as soon as possible after it is in the correct position in a key hole or with the door frame. This can ensure that there is minimal tolerance between the latch and the key hole or door frame structure and holding the door firmly in the door frame. Alternatively, the latch can turn at any time after it passes through the key hole or other structure and not have to engage with or even contact any part of the safe, key hole, etc.
In one embodiment, the curved run 74 of a cam track is located at approximately the distal ⅔ of the pin cylinder. In a more particular embodiment, the curved run of a cam track is located within approximately the distal ½ of a pin cylinder. In a specific embodiment, the curved run of a pin cylinder is located within approximately the distal ⅓ of the pin cylinder.
It can be preferable, though not required, for the cam track to provide a rotation to the pin cylinder that causes the latch to be oriented so that it is maximally mis-aligned with the keyhole. Alternatively, it can be preferable, though not required, that the orientation of the pin cylinder causes the latch to be maximally engaged with the door frame or some component thereof. This can ensure that the latch does not accidentally realign with the keyhole or that the latch cannot be easily realigned with the keyhole if access to safe interior or hollow area 3 is gained with one or more drilled holes, as described above. However, in some situations, it may be possible or preferred for the latch to be turned only as far as necessary to ensure that it is properly engaged. Any amount of rotation that causes a latch to be sufficiently misaligned with a keyhole so as to prevent the pin cylinder from reversing direction in the key hole is within the scope of this invention.
Another embodiment employs a non-circular pin cylinder, mentioned above, that further has one or more twists or rotations at some point or along the entire length of longitudinal axis 87 between the proximal end 80 and the distal end 85, such that the distal end and the proximal end can be misaligned. when viewed from one of the ends or along the longitudinal axis of the pin cylinder. The turn radius of each one or more twist can vary and will dictate how much or whether the proximal end and distal end are misaligned, which is shown, for example, in
In a further embodiment, a pin hole 34 has a shape that engages with one or more sides and/or edges of the one or more twists 100 in a pin cylinder 71, causing it to rotate as it passes therethrough.
In one embodiment, a pin cylinder can have at least one twist somewhere along the longitudinal axis, such that the proximal end 80 has a face 81 with a long axis 101 and a short axis 102, such as shown, for example, in
A pin cylinder 71 can also have a twist 100 or rotation of any desired turn radius. Ideally, the turn radius is sufficient to rotate the distal end of a pin cylinder so that other structures on the pin cylinder, such as, for example, a latch 78, can engage with one or more structures on the safe body. The embodiments shown, by way of example, in
It can be beneficial if the twist 100 in a pin cylinder is configured so that the dimensions of the twisted portion of a pin cylinder are consistent with the dimensions of the pin cylinder in non-twisted areas of the pin cylinder. Thus, the height and/or width of a pin cylinder would remain constant, such that the twist in the pin cylinder is not narrower or does not have less material than other portions of a pin cylinder. For example, when a pin cylinder that has a substantially square circumferential shape has a twist, the height and width of the pin cylinder remains substantially the same when measured at any point within the twist. Depending upon the shape of the pin cylinder circumference, maintaining the dimensions of the pin cylinder through the twist can, but does not necessarily, impart the pin cylinder with one or more raised areas 103 that imparts the pin cylinder with a larger diameter in the twisted areas, such as shown, for example, in
Further, a pin cylinder can have more than one twist along the length, between the distal end and proximal end. The twist can beneficially inhibit a pin cylinder 34 from being forced away from the door periphery 31, as described above. A pin cylinder with more than one twist can be further inhibited from forceful displacement from the door periphery. Still further a pin cylinder with more than one twist, each having a different turn radii, or different directions of twist, can be further inhibited from being forced out of place over the door periphery.
In embodiments that utilize a latch 78, it can be helpful for the turn radius of a twist 100 to be sufficient that when the pin cylinder is fully extended, and one or more rotations or partial rotations are completed, the latch is properly emplaced and secured to the safe body or other structure. The position of the latch can depend upon the turn radius of each of the one or more rotations of a pin cylinder. By way of non-limiting example, a latch can be oriented on or about the distal end so that it makes an approximately 360° revolution as the twisted pin cylinder is pushed through a pin hole. By way of another non-limiting example, a latch can he oriented on or about the distal end so that it rotates between approximately 10° and approximately 260° as the pin cylinder traverses the pin hole. A person with skill in the art will appreciate that the turn radius of a twist will depend upon a variety of factors. Such variations in the turn radii, which provide substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, and with substantially the same results, are within the scope of this invention.
The shape of a latch can also determine the amount of rotation or the pitch of the cam track necessary to ensure that the latch is sufficiently rotated and, ideally, maximally displaced. By way of non-limiting examples,
The shape of a latch 78 can vary depending upon any of a variety of factors, some of which have been discussed above. In one embodiment, the circumferential shape of a latch is substantially the same as the circumferential shape of the keyhole through which it will pass. In an alternative embodiment, the circumferential shape of a latch is different from the circumferential shape of the key hole through which it will pass. In a further embodiment, a latch can have one or more surfaces that are curved, smooth, rounded, or otherwise shaped to inhibit gripping or grasping of the latch. Alternatively, a latch can be at least partially formed of or be at least partially coated or covered with a material having a low coefficient of friction to inhibit gripping or grasping of the latch. This can reduce or eliminate the ability to forcibly turn the latch during a breach attempt.
When a latch engages with a keyhole, it can be in close contact with the surface(s) around the key hole. While this is not required, as mentioned above, there can be advantages to this arrangement. In one embodiment, a key hole 92 has a front side 94 through which a latch enters and a back side 96 from which the latch emerges, as shown in
In one embodiment, a latch emerging from the back side 96 of a keyhole, when rotated, will make contact with the backside surface 96 with at least the shoulder 79.
As mentioned above, safes 10 can be breached by drilling holes in their sides in order to access the pin cylinders and push them away from the door frame 17. They can also be susceptible to pry attacks, where all or part of the door of a safe is bent and causes one or more of the lock pins to be moved away from the door frame. The embodiments of the subject invention can inhibit or prevent this by ensuring that a latch is properly positioned, i.e., out of alignment with a keyhole, and against the backside surface. By configuring embodiments so that the latch abuts against the backside surface, it can reduce the likelihood of breaking or bending a latch during a breach attempt.
In a further embodiment, the backside surface can have structures that ensure adequate abutment of the latch. Such abutment structures 99 can promote “stiction” between the latch and the backside surface. Thus, while stiction is beneficially inhibited between a pin hole and a pin cylinder, stiction can be advantageous between a latch and the backside surface. In one embodiment, an abutment structure is a roughened or scored area on the backside surface against which the latch shoulder makes contact when it rotates. In another embodiment, an abutment structure is one or more ribs, nibs, or other rises on the backside surface against which the latch shoulder can be abutted. These and other similar types of abutment structures, can increase the frictional force between the latch and the backside, which can translate into increased stiction or friction fit.
In another embodiment, the latch, or some portion thereof, and/or the abutment structure can have a pre-determined amount of resiliency or flexibility. This can allow a latch having a particular shape to slide over an abutment structure 99 on the backside surface. For example, there can be one or more ridges or nibs or similar structures arranged on the back side surface.
As the latch rotates, the resiliency of the latch, or portion thereof, and/or the abutment structure will allow one or both to deform sufficiently to slide, move, or otherwise pass over each other. In a further embodiment, the abutment structure can have a shape that makes it conducive for the latch to pass over, e.g., smooth or curved surfaces, ramp-like edges, etc. Alternatively, these types of abutment structures can be at least partially formed of a material that exhibits a low coefficient of friction. In a still further alternative, abutment structures can be a resilient or deformable material that permits the latch to temporarily deform the abutment structure as it passes over or slides over the abutment structure. In yet another alternative embodiment, one or more abutment structures can be spring-loaded or be in contact with another deformable object that allows the abutment structure to move or accommodate passage of a latch. The locking mechanism of a safe can impart sufficient force, along with the cam guide and cam track, to force a latch to pass over an abutment structure. After a latch slides over an abutment structure, it can make contact with the backside surface, an abutment structure, or both. This can provide the latch with a firm seating and minimize rattling, shifting, or random movement of the latch. It can also further inhibit the latch from being realigned with a key hole, unless the locking mechanism is utilized to impart the necessary linear motion to the pin cylinder, which forcibly rotates the latch so that it slides back over an abutment structure or otherwise disengages from an abutment structure. The topmost keyhole shown in
Abutment structures are often utilized with socket wrenches as a technique for securing sockets to the pin on a wrench head. Common ink pens with removable caps often use abutment structures to hold the cap on the pen. The socket or pen cap can be removed by forcibly pulling the device over the abutment structure. Dispensing containers often use abutment structures to maintain an opening in the container at a particular position. Thus, there is a variety of abutment structures that could be beneficial for use with the embodiments of the subject invention. Any such variations that provide the same functionality and the same result as described here are within the scope of this invention.
Embodiments of a lock pin 70 of the subject invention can be configured to engage with one or more structures already present in current residential security container designs. Alternatively, a residential security container can be configured, modified, or designed to include a structure with which a lock pin can engage. Current residential security container designs usually include a reinforced door frame 17 against which their extended bolt cylinders abut to lock the residential security container when the door is closed.
The lock pin 70 embodiments of the subject invention are amenable for use with the already existing reinforced door frames on most safes. The example shown in
In a specific embodiment, the latch is a recurved projection extending from at or about the distal end 85 of a pin cylinder, one example of which is shown in
There are other techniques by which door frames of a safe are reinforced. Such techniques can provide alternative configurations to a doorframe. Thus, a latch according to the subject invention could assume a different shape or configuration in order to engage with a door frame. It is within the skill of a trained artisan to determine any number of door frame and/or latch configurations that would operate as described herein. Such variations which provide the same function, in substantially the same way, with substantially the same result, are within the scope of this invention.
It is also possible for a door frame 17 to be modified for use with a lock pin 70 of the subject invention. In one embodiment, the door frame is modified, configured, manufactured, or otherwise provided with one or more key holes 92, as described above. In
However, if the projecting lip is not present or insufficient for one or more key holes, a separate strike plate 90 can be affixed to the door frame or some other component of the safe, for example, the safe body 15, and can provide one or more key holes for operation with one or more lock pins of the subject invention.
In general, a strike plate 90 is the apparatus against which a latch is operatively engaged to prevent a pin cylinder from retracting or being retracted to the door panel frame, or prevents a pin cylinder from being pried or pulled away from the safe body and thereby allowing the safe door to be opened. Thus, the strike plate should be able to withstand significant force applied thereto. A strike plate can assume any of a variety of configurations, including, but not limited to, having one or more sections, having reinforcement structures thereon, comprising a rigid material, having one or more key holes, being of similar construction or material as the rest of the safe, and other features understood by a person skilled in the art. It is also well-known that safes can have lock pins extending from any or all sides of a door frame, including the corners in certain models. Thus, a strike plate could be provided anywhere around a door frame 17 and not just in the area shown in
As discussed above, one common technique implemented when attempting to breach a locked safe to insert a pry bar between the periphery of the door 31 and the safe body 15 and prying the door until one or more of the lock pins 70 are bent or distorted out of shape sufficiently to allow at least part of the door to be bent away from the door frame 17. The embodiments described above can be effective in preventing lock pins from being bent or pried away from the door frame. The use of a latch can further inhibit the ability to bend a pin cylinder.
Another technique that can be employed with a lock pin can be specifically engaged only when a pry attack is instigated against a safe. This technique employs a shouldered indent 200 formed within a pin cylinder that can abut against the projecting lip 18, a strike plate 90, or another structure within the safe, if force is applied to the door to try to bend it away from the safe body 15. When a lock pin is utilized normally, a shouldered indent on the lock pin does not inhibit or in any way affect the operation of the other embodiments described herein. The advantage of a shouldered indent is that it can be incorporated with other embodiments described herein and engaged as a last defense during an attempt to breach the safe if the other embodiments herein are overcome. It can also be employed as an alternative to one or more of the other embodiments described herein.
In a further embodiment, the annular shoulder 205 is a surface between the terminal end 212 of the inclined surface 210 and the outer surface 75 of a lock pin. This surface can be perpendicular to the outer surface, such that it is substantially vertical relative to the longitudinal axis 87 of a lock pin. This surface can, alternatively, be angled or not vertical relative to the longitudinal axis. In a particular embodiment, the annular shoulder is angled towards the inclined surface as it nears the outer surface. One example of this is shown in
There can also be an alternative embodiment wherein the shouldered indent has another, opposite annular shoulder, where the two annular shoulders are joined by the inclined surface. With this embodiment, the inclined surface can have an angle between 0° and 90°, such that the inclined surface can be generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 87 or be at any angle less than 90°, such that the inclined surface is not parallel to the longitudinal axis.
As describe above, when the door 30 of a safe is pried away from the safe body 15, it is typically moved in a direction that causes the lock pins 70 to be forced against some interior surface 5 of the door frame 17, or another structure attached to or near to the door frame, such as, for example, a strike plate 90. When enough force is applied, the lock pins will bend and slide over the door frame or structure, at least at the area of the door being pried. A shouldered indent 200 embodiment of the subject invention can deter bending of a lock pin by “catching”, overlapping, or otherwise engaging with the door frame, or other structure or part thereof on the interior of the safe, inhibiting the lock pin from sliding, or continuing to slide, over the door frame. Because of the direction at which a prying force is applied to a safe door, the engagement of a shouldered indent with the safe body can further inhibit the one or more lock pins from being bent. Once a shouldered indent has engaged with some part of the safe body or other structure on the safe interior 5, the lock pin is inhibited from further bending or, at least, significantly more force can be required to not only bend the lock pins, but also bend or distort the additional structure to which the shouldered indent on the lock pin has become engaged.
The shouldered indent 200 embodiments of the subject invention can be configured so that, when the safe is locked, a shouldered indent 200 on a lock pin 70 is adequately aligned with or facing one or more of the door frame 17, projecting lip 18 on the door frame, the edge of a key hole 92 in strike plate 90, or another part of the safe against which a lock pin can be forced during a pry attack. By ensuring that the shouldered indent is properly aligned when the safe is locked, any attack against the door, particularly a pry attack along the door edge, will cause the shouldered indent to be engaged if a pre-determined amount of force is applied to the door, lock pin, door frame, or other structure. As stated above, when a lock pin is utilized noimally, a shouldered indent has no effect on the operation of the lock pin. When a pre-determined amount of force is applied to the door, the lock pin or some other structure in the safe can become distorted, bent, misaligned, or otherwise out of place. This can then cause the shouldered indent to also become misaligned or out of place, causing it to operate as described. The lock pins used in a typical safe are rigidly fixed to a carriage 50 by posts or rods that go through holes in the carriage. The posts or rods are then secured to the carriage with a bolt, rivet, welding, or other devices or techniques that immovably secure the bolt cylinder to the carriage.
For a lock pin of the subject invention to operate as described herein, the lock pin should be able to rotate at least partially around the longitudinal axis 87 of the pin cylinder, as demonstrated in
A rigid rod can be secured within hole 58 by any device or technique that allows the rigid rod to turn or rotate within the hole, thereby allowing the pin cylinder attached thereto to turn or rotate on the longitudinal axis. There are any of a variety of connector devices 64 by which a rigid rod can be rotatably secured to a carriage. This can include, but is not limited to, bolts, cotter-pins, rivets, rod caps, or other devices, shown, for example, in
The embodiments of the subject invention represent a unique and beneficial improvement to the design and operation of residential security containers. The lock pin designs disclosed herein address undesirable design issues with currently known residential security containers, wherein the door of a residential security container can be breached if access to the bolt cylinders can be achieved. The pin cylinder embodiments described herein can prevent or inhibit a pin cylinder from being pushed away from the door frame. Other embodiments disclosed herein can further prevent all pin cylinders from being disengaged from the door frame, should access to a single pin cylinder be achieved. The embodiments described herein can provide greater security and value to a residential security container with minimal modification to current designs.
The examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “further embodiment,” “alternative embodiment,” etc., is for literary convenience. The implication is that any particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with such an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearance of such phrases in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
The invention has been described herein in considerable detail, in order to comply with the Patent Statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with information needed to apply the novel principles, and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications, both as to equipment details and operating procedures can be effected without departing from the scope of the invention itself. Further, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific details of certain embodiments thereof and by examples disclosed herein, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention except as and to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/128,660, filed Mar. 5, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/042,449, filed Aug. 27, 2014, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties, including all figures, tables, and drawings.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62128660 | Mar 2015 | US | |
| 62042449 | Aug 2014 | US |
