Claims
- 1. A locking device, comprising:
- (a) a key operable locking head movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including:
- (i) a housing having an axial opening and an interior;
- (ii) a rotatable retainer disposed in said housing, said retainer having an aperture; and
- (iii) a lock core disposed in said housing and axially oriented with respect to the opening, said lock core mechanically coupled to said retainer and having a keyway adapted to receive a key whereby rotation of the key acts to rotate said lock core thereby causing rotation of said retainer to define the locked state and the unlocked state; and
- (b) a shackle member including a latch portion configured to engage for insertion into the locking head through the axial opening to define a mated state and configured to engage said locking head to prevent relative rotation therebetween, said latch portion including a latch head configured for insertion through the aperture of said retainer when said locking head is in the unlocked state yet configured to prevent withdrawal from said aperture when said retainer is rotated to the locked state whereby said latch portion is captured by said locking head to define a fastened state.
- 2. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein said shackle member includes a linear portion and a stop portion disposed at a first end of said linear portion, said latch portion being disposed at a second end of said linear portion opposite the first end.
- 3. A locking device according to claim 2 wherein said stop portion is formed as an enlarged knob.
- 4. A locking device according to claim 3 wherein said knob and said housing are formed to have a similar shape whereby said shackle member and said locking head present a substantially symmetrical appearance when in the fastened state.
- 5. A locking device according to claim 4 wherein said knob and said housing are frustoconical in shape with oppositely projecting convergent side surfaces.
- 6. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein said shackle member includes a flexible cable portion.
- 7. A locking device, comprising:
- (a) a key operable locking head movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including:
- (i) a housing having an interior, an axial opening and a seal located proximately to said axial opening;
- (ii) a rotatable retainer disposed in said housing said retainer having an aperture; and
- (iii) a lock core disposed in said housing and axially oriented with respect to the opening, said lock core mechanically coupled to said retainer and having a keyway adapted to receive a key whereby rotation of the key acts to rotate said lock core thereby causing rotation of said retainer to define the locked state and the unlocked state; and
- (b) a shackle member including a latch portion configured to engage for insertion into the locking head through the axial opening to define a mated state and configured to engage said locking head to prevent relative rotation therebetween, said latch portion including a latch head configured for insertion through the aperture of said retainer when said locking head is in the unlocked state yet configured to prevent withdrawal from said aperture when said retainer is rotated to the locked state whereby said latch portion is captured by said locking head to define a fastened state, said latch portion further including a seal surface which is engaged by said seal when said locking head is in the fastened state thereby to prevent ingress of unwanted substances through the axial opening and into the interior of said housing.
- 8. A locking device according to claim 7 wherein said housing has an interior side wall and wherein an annular groove is formed in the interior side wall proximately to the axial opening, said seal being an annular O-ring disposed in the annular groove and said seal surface being a cylindrical section on said latch portion sized for close-fitted engagement with said O-ring.
- 9. A locking device according to claim 7 including a cap element sized and adapted to engage an end of said housing opposite the axial opening to cover said keyway.
- 10. A locking device according to claim 1 including a rotational limit stop associated with said lock core and operative to limit rotation of said retainer to less than 180.degree..
- 11. A locking device according to claim 10 wherein said rotational limit stop is operative to limit rotation of said retainer to about 90.degree..
- 12. A locking device according to claim 10 wherein said lock core has a rigid sleeve and a rotatable axial plug disposed in said sleeve, said plug including a centrally located, axially projecting drive cog that rotates in correspondence to rotation of said plug, and which is operative to mechanically couple to said retainer whereby rotation of said drive cog acts to rotate said retainer, said rotational limit stop including a post that is rigidly disposed relative to said housing and a channel in said retainer that is sized and positioned to receive said post.
- 13. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein said latch head defines a first profile that has a first cross-section that is configured geometrically similar to the aperture whereby said latch head may be inserted therethrough when said locking head is in the unlocked state, said latch portion including a second profile that has a second cross-section that is configured geometrically similar to the axial opening, said second profile positioned to engage the axial opening when in the mated state thereby to prevent relative rotation of said housing and said latch portion, said latch head spaced from said second profile sufficiently so that said retainer may be rotated between the locked and unlocked states.
- 14. A locking device according to claim 12 wherein said first and second profiles are aligned with one another and have a common cross-section defined by opposite flattened side surfaces and oppositely projecting radial lobes extending between said flattened side surfaces and wherein the axial opening and the aperture have a common configuration and are aligned with one another when in the unlocked state yet are skewed with respect to one another when in the locked state.
- 15. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein said retainer includes a sleeve having a longitudinally projecting prong and a C-shaped washer that has facing arm ends that define a gap therebetween, said prong oriented to engage said gap whereby rotation of said sleeve acts to rotate said washer.
- 16. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein said retainer is a one-piece construction including two parallel plates joined together, a first one of said plates having the aperture formed therein and a second one of said plates engaging said lock core.
- 17. A locking device, comprising:
- (a) a key operable locking head movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including a housing having an opening and an interior, a retainer and a lock core disposed in said housing, said lock core mechanically coupled to said retainer and having a keyway adapted to receive a key whereby rotation of the key acts to rotate said lock core thereby moving said retainer to define the locked state and the unlocked state, said locking head including a seal disposed proximately to the opening in surrounding relation thereto; and
- (b) a shackle member including a latch portion configured for insertion into the locking head through the opening to define a mated state and configured to engage said locking head, said latch portion including a latch head operative to mate with said retainer when said locking head is in the unlocked state yet configured to prevent withdrawal from said locking head when said locking head is moved to the locked state whereby said latch portion is captured by said locking head to define a fastened state, said latch portion including a seal surface, said seal engaging said seal surface when said locking head is in the fastened state thereby to prevent ingress of unwanted substances through the opening and into the interior of said housing.
- 18. A locking device according to claim 17 wherein said shackle member includes a linear portion that has an enlarged knob disposed at a first end thereof with said latch portion disposed at a second end thereof opposite the first end.
- 19. A locking device according to claim 17 wherein said shackle member includes a flexible cable portion.
- 20. A locking device according to claim 7 wherein said housing has an interior side wall and wherein an annular groove is formed in the interior side wall proximately to the opening, said seal being an annular O-ring disposed in the annular groove and said seal surface being a cylindrical section on said latch portion sized for close-fitted engagement with said O-ring.
- 21. A locking device, comprising:
- (a) a key operable locking head movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including a housing having an axial opening and an interior, a rotatable retainer disposed in said housing and having an aperture, and a lock core disposed in said housing and axially oriented with respect to the opening, said lock core mechanically coupled to said retainer and having a keyway adapted to receive a key whereby rotation of the key acts to rotate said lock core thereby causing rotation of said retainer to define the locked state and the unlocked state, said housing includes a seal located proximately to the axial opening therein; and
- (b) a shackle member including a latch portion configured for insertion into the locking head through the axial opening to define a mated state and configured to engage said locking head to prevent relative rotation therebetween, said latch portion including a latch head having a first profile that has a first cross-section that is configured geometrically similar to the aperture whereby said latch head extends therethrough when said locking head is in the unlocked state, yet configured to prevent withdrawal from said aperture when said locking head is rotated to the locked state whereby said latch portion is captured by said locking head to define a fastened state, said latch portion including a second profile that has a second cross-section that is configured geometrically similar to the axial opening, said second profile positioned to engage the axial opening when in the mated state thereby to prevent relative rotation of said housing and said latch portion, said latch head spaced from said second profile sufficiently so that said retainer may be rotated between the locked and unlocked states, and said latch portion including a seal surface, said seal engaging said seal surface when said latch portion is in the mated state to prevent ingress of unwanted substances through the axial opening and into the interior of said housing.
- 22. A locking device according to claim 21 wherein said shackle member includes a linear portion that has a stop portion disposed at a first end thereof with said latch portion disposed at a second end thereof opposite the first end.
- 23. A locking device according to claim 21 wherein said shackle includes a flexible cable portion.
- 24. A locking device according to claim 21 including a rotational limit stop associated with said lock core and operative to limit rotation thereof to less than 180.degree..
- 25. A locking device according to claim 21 wherein said first and second profiles have a common cross-section and are aligned with one another, and wherein the axial opening and the aperture have a common configuration and are aligned with one another when in the unlocked state yet are skewed with respect to one another when in the locked state.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/058,955, filed Sep. 16, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0415355 |
Mar 1991 |
EPX |
2425386 |
Dec 1975 |
DEX |
2248650 |
Apr 1992 |
GBX |